


Your Personal Sun 2.0

by Letters_in_Arial



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Grillby's, Other, Post-Pacific Route, grillby - Freeform, undertale - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-17
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-05-21 08:03:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 89,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6044167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Letters_in_Arial/pseuds/Letters_in_Arial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>-Deleted by accident, Your Personal Sun return (after only moments after the delete)<br/>Sorry for that.-</p><p>Befriending monsters was easy. They were open and welcoming you in their little part of the town. When you moved there you discovered a bar called Grillby's, and its owner is captivating.<br/>Sooner or later you became friends with the ones who visit the bar, including Grillby himself. But feelings blossom and a doubting question remains:<br/>Can humans and monster be together like this, or will society cut the line before anyone could even try?<br/>A story about You and Monsters, trying to figure out how to live together peacefully. Bonds are made while fighting racism, prejudices and seperation.<br/>____________________________________________________________________________________________________<br/>Written by Letters_in_Arial (short: Arial), a non-nantive english speaker. If major mistakes in grammar and spelling are made please leave the author a friendly note about it! Thank you~</p><p>This work comes with a created Playlist on 8tracks, to set the mood for the reader. You can find a link in the preface</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Preface

Hello dear readers!

  
I am Arial, and this is a project I've been working on for a while now.  
I try to keep my english skills updated and I want to practise a lot, which is why I decided to write a story in my second language.  
My mother tongue is german, but sadly Undertale is not well known here.  
I hope I don't make big mistakes tho! I'll try my best.  
But if you discover anything that could cause huge confusion because the sentence doesn't make sense, then please don't hesitate to let me know and correct me!

Another thing is that this is my second time I try Ao3. The first time was a small disaster, but after reading many creative and wonderful stories here (mostly in the Undertale area, and mostly Grillby fanfictions) I've decided to give it another try. I am motivated and inspired to create something that might be enjoyable for others. I know how it is when your favorite story gets another chapter added! And I hope others will experience this joy here as well  
  
I have tons of fun while writing this story. I love Grillby, maybe more than you should like a fictional character, even if he's a complete blank sheet in the game itself. The fandom created something beautifully out of this blank canvas, and it is the fact that you can still shape his character to different forms that make Grillby so interesting to me!  
  
I hope you enjoy the story! If you have any ideas, wishes, doubts or feedback in general then I am more than glad to hear it!

Have a good time, and stay safe!

~ Arial

  
PS.: This work has its own Playlist. If you're interested and need some background music while reading then you should give it a try:

**<http://8tracks.com/letters_in_arial/your-personal-sun> **

  



	2. Be a sun yourself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One day you meet a monster that caught your eyes one day. With you being a friendly human you decided to keep him a little company to cheer him up. In return he leads you to the place where it all shall begin: Grillby's

 

It seemed as if the sky above you hung low this night. You couldn't see any stars since the clouds were too thick, too dark. Not a single light could get through it, not even the moon. But this didn't stop you from taking a walk. It wasn't to late after all, it simply was dark early since it was winter, and you took every opportunity to escape your little flat. It might be a roof over your head, but it was lonely and overflowed with your furniture that was too big for this kind of flat, and your own personal stuff. There was too little room to store it all properly. You got the feeling as if you couldn't breathe in there. So you took the chance when it stopped snowing for some hours to go out and get some fresh air.

You weren't too afraid for anyone crossing your way: You were in the little park only a few streets away from your flat and the sky still looked like it would start to snow again any second now. You wrapped your coat around yourself a little more and continued. Getting some fresh air around this time of the year also meant to take the cold. But it was worth it: the town was quiet, especially this part of the town: The Monster District.  
It sounded so harsh in your ears, and it also was: Monsters did emerge from beneath the surface without a real warning, yes. But seperating them even after proving that they were harmless and peaceful was indeed harsh in your opinion. Almost every human left this part of the town to get away from monsters, from those unknown, confusing and inhuman things. It only made more space for more monsters, and made more humans leave, until the whole town referred to this district as the Monster District.

You didn't care that much. You knew perfectly well that the media would go nuts over the new species that tries to socialize. News reports showed riots in the center of the town, humans protesting against monsters, afraid of the unknown. Instead of listening to the media you decided to observe yourself and quickly found out that most monsters were much friendlier than humans. The first time you visited the Monster District left you almost speechless. Almost every monster that crossed your way smiled to you and wished you a good day, sometimes approaching you more and trying to start a friendly conversation.

The first time was a mess on your side: You were stuttering, shivering and didn't dare to make long eye contact. To be fair, the monster who tried their best to look as harmless as possible was a huge wolfish looking thing. He had a deep rumbling voice, yet it was very friendly. This friendliness and the casualness in his words made you less afraid, and soon you were able to tell him you were just visiting this part of the town. As soon as you mentioned that you came all the way from the center of the town he became worried. He asked if you got into riots and asked if people ever harmed you, since the riots could get out of control. His worry made you all warm inside, after all you barely exchanged a few sentences. You quickly assured him that you were fine and tried to stay out of all of the madness. The wolf monster nodded and hoped that you would stay safe.

  
After the pleasent conversation with this big guy you continued, now a little bit more confident. You nodded towards monsters that would greet you, and talked with a few more. They all seemed very interested in the human that would visit them by their own. Many told you that most humans that got in the Monster District had a repellent grimace on their face and tried their best to ignore every being on the street that was not human. Of course not all of them, you were not the first friendly human to come through, but one of the few.

  
After your first visit you continued to go there. You didn't exactly made any big friends, but you just enjoyed the atmosphere. Despite their problems the monsters tried their best to stay positive and happy, and they succeeded. It seemed like the joy about being on the surface again was still so fresh, even after months of coming out of the mountain. You could see eyes lighten up and hear words spilling out of jaws, mouths, beaks or holes when they told you about their favorite thing on the surface: the sun, the sky, the flora and fauna, the ocean, the round stones in river beds and so on. You sometimes gasped when they described their feelings to you: all the small things that you miss everyday were like big wonders for the monsters. Everytime you payed a visit to the district made you realize how big this world actually is. So it shouldn't be a problem for humans to share it with peaceful monsters, right?

Instead humans barely could share something with each other. You had to realize this when your land lord gave you an eviction note. You had promised him that you'd pay for the raised rent once you got the money. But it was hard, and you failed. At least he gave you some time so you could find a new flat. Your first instinct was to find another in the middle of the town, but soon you searched for places in the Monster District. You were surprised when you started to find so many different places for little money. You chose one quickly, and then everything went so fast: You had to leave your old apartment and pack up things, spending the little saved money you had for a moving company, just to throw everything in the little place you had now: A small flat on the ground floor, in the outer area of the Monster District. You only had 2 neighbors, the other flats were empty. Most monsters lived in the middle of the district, were flats were bigger and it was more comfortable for them to reach any stores.

Even if society was spiteful towards them, the government at least tried their best to make it up to monsters. You knew that they tried very hard to integrate monsters better and faster, but humans needed time to adapt to new situations. Especially if it meant such a big change in the world.  
You thought you were very adapted already: You managed to give a friendly "Good evening!" to a monster that looked like a big reindeer with tree-like decorations on its antlers. It nodded to you, the small trees bouncing forward and back again, and continued to go its own way. So did you without paying a second thought about the monster. After a while of living here you lost the fright. The instinct to run away or freeze was absent since you payed the town frequent visits.

Yet you couldn't stop yourself from staring when you found a skeleton sitting on a bench. You weren't afraid, sights like these were pretty common. Well, you haven't seen a skeleton before, a living one that is, but you've seen weirder things. Yet, it was weird: something that should be inanimate moved its head around, looking at the sky, the buildings, the trees and then you. You hadn't stopped walking, but you had kept your gaze upon it. You caught yourself staring and quickly looked away, slowing your pace a little. Sooner or later your gaze would switch back to the skeleton. It didn't watch you anymore and simply looked forward, seemingly looking at nothing. As you came closer you noticed that it looked troubled, sad even. And like it didn't sleep for a long while. You didn't know how a skeleton could show signs like this, but you didn't question it more. You understood that magic was a weird thing, at least for humans. It was a main reason why so many were upset and afraid: humans simply couldn't understand every single aspect of the monster's magic. You simply accepted that. You didn't need to know how everything worked. You simply knew that a living, feeling and sad looking skeleton sat on a bench in a snowy night, and it looked like it could need some company.

What a coincidence that your feet felt like they needed a rest, so you strolled over to the bench and sat down next to the skeleton, leaving enough space between the two of you. You inhaled deeply and hold the breath for a moment before releasing it again. It was nice to sit down after walking for a while, and for a second you forgot about the monster next to you and just enjoyed the moment. Sure, it would have been nicer if the stars shone, or if it would be a warm summer night, but it was still a good moment. You felt at peace, happy that no riots were happening in this part of the town. This probably was even the most peaceful part of the town right now.  
After a while you noticed shifting next to you. You casually looked to the skeleton, who was eyeing you from the corner of his eye sockets. You could tell by the small white lights that were dancing in the blackness. You gave a friendly smile.  
  
"Good evening." you simply said and gave it a small nod. It was still for a second, but then nodded back.  
"good evenin'." It didn't sound like it was a good evening for it. Its voice sounded hoarse and tired, but it tried its best to give you a smile. It looked very fake. Instantly, you felt sad too. Monsters always worried for each other, and this was contagious: You felt like you wanted to help it, and so you decided to try your best.  
  
"It looks like it could be better for you, huh?" you asked gently and leaned forward. With your elbows resting on your calfs you tried to look more open towards the skeleton. It squinted a little at you, trying to read you. You hoped that you seemed harmless, remembering how many monsters admitted that they were always careful around humans since humans were so much stronger than them.

After a while the skeleton simply turned its gaze forward again and gave a "hm mh." It looked like it didn't want to talk yet, but you were patient. You looked forward too, still leaned forward to show that you're still up for a talk. Another moment passed.

"I think the stars are missing. And the moon." you said and looked up. The clouds were still rolling over you, looking like a menacing sea of blackness. Only a few lights from the town were seen on them. The skeleton next to you looked up too. "I think tonight we would see a nearly full moon if the clouds wouldn't be so stubborn. Good thing it stopped snowing, tho."

"i like the snow. i like it when it snows" the monsters surprises you by responding so quickly. You didn't want to make any conclusions, but it sounded male. "it reminds me of the town me and my bro used to live in." he trailed of a little and looked forward again into the nothingness. Did he miss the town? Did he miss the Underground, the only home he had known for his life until now?

Then you remembered something. A small talk you had with a monster that looked like a bunny. They told you about the town they came from and how it was stuck in a permanent winter.  
"I think I know what town you mean. Wasn't it called Snoweredin?" you asked, and the skeleton gave a small snort.  
"it's snowdin." he said. "like, snowed in."  
"Oh!" you simply made. "I am so sorry. I only heard it once, someone told me about it a little. Winter never stopped there, hm?" You looked back at the skeleton, who was already looking at you. He nodded a little.  
"yeah, never. but i liked it. it was ice." It took you a moment to realize that he made a pun, but as you did you couldn't stop a grin from spreading across your face. In return the smile on his skull turned bigger. "yeah, it was really cool there."  
You gave a chuckle and shook your head. Looked like this guy was into puns.  
"Snow kidding?" you added to the list and looked back to him. He was now grinning.  
"snow kidding, kiddo."

He seemed to be better already. The white lights in his eyes weren't so small anymore, instead a little dilated. You didn't mind about the nickname either. If it was his habit you wouldn't force him to change it for a stranger.  
And as if he read your mind he held out his hand to you. "i'm sans, by the way. sans the skeleton." You smirked at him.  
"I thought you're Sans the puffball mushroom." you joked and took his hand.  
"... that was one of the most random things i've ever heard." He shook your hands for a moment before letting go. Both of you looked forward again, but this time you noticed that he was eyeing the buildings, and didn't just stare into nothingness. You were actually very happy about this, and you couldn't stop yourself from grinning. He seemed to notice.  
  
"what'cha grinning about?"  
"Dunno." you said quickly. "For me the evening just got a little better, y'know?" you added after a while. Sans nodded next to you.  
"same, actually." he mumbled and when you looked back to him, he grinned at you. You simply smiled, not knowing what to say anymore. He took the chance to say more. "you reminded me that everything's alright now. just forgot that earlier. I'm still kinda afraid, y'know?"

You gave a simple nod. You didn't know what he's afraid of. But you thought of so many reasons. Of protesting humans that could be very violent too. Of the fear of being seperated from society forever. Of poverty amongst monsters once the government got tired of giving supplies and funds towards monsterkind. And so many other reasons.  
You two sat there for a while, just looking around, occasionally looking at each other and grinning together. He seemed more relaxed than earlier, probably happy that a human was nice to him. This was a rarity after all.

After this long while he shifted as if he wanted to stand up, which he then did. Only now did you notice how short he actually was, probably not at all bigger than you were. You looked up to him in a questioning way.  
"welp. i sat here for long enough. i was actually going to grillby's, but i got uh.... distracted." He then gave you a big but true smile. "ever been there?"  
  
You frowned for a moment. You might have heard that name before, but you couldn't tell where or when, or what it meant. It might have slipped into a converation once or twice. It sounded like a store, or like a restaurant. You've been to Alexander's, Clara's, Anne's and so on, but you never saw that name anywhere.  
"Grillby's?" you asked to make sure again, and Sans nodded. "I get the feeling that I've heard it before, but I've never been there." His eye lights became bigger and brighter.  
"then let me show you, as a way to thank you." Before you could ask what he wanted to thank for he continued. "also you must be chilled to the bone. and grillby's got a certain... warmth to it."  
He gave you a wink with his left eye socket. You noticed the bone pun and started to smirk at it, but why he emphasized the warmth part wasn't clear to you.  
  
  
No matter what, you stood up. He was right, you were really cold. You just sat on a bench for a long while without moving, and now your muscles were protesting. You moaned a little in pain and stretched your legs.  
"You're right, I'm almost as frozen as frozen yoghourt." you said and shook your feet a little. "This Grillby's, does it have any tea or coffee?"  
"i bet he'll even make you a hot chocolate." Sans started to walk, and you walked next to him. You didn't exactly know who Sans meant when he said "He" but the thought of a hot chocolate flowing down your throat was very promising.

On the way to the cafe, restaurant, store or whatever this Grillby's was you two were joking. Weirdly enough Sans made a few puns about fire and saying that "the owner is really really hot" which made you curious. What did monsters find attractive? After all they came in a wide variety. You've seen so many different kinds, and at first it was confusing. Now you simply looked over the few monsters walking on the side walk like you and Sans did. And almost all of them greeted you and the skeleton in a friendly manner. No sign of the polite stiffness that you would see on humans.

You two made your way to the middle of the district, and more monsters appear. After all, it wasn't so late yet. Soon Sans guided you down a street you haven't seen before and pointed on a building. You noticed a lit up sign over the door that simply said "Grillby's". The sign looked old, yet inviting. So did the big windows next to the door, showing a comfortable scene. A warm light shone through those windows and colored the snow underneath them in a golden tone. The light flickered as if it was made by thousand of candles, but as you looked through the windows you couldn't see any. Sans walked up to the door, with you following him, and opened it. He even held it open for you! With a playful bow and a loud "Oh thank you, kind sir!" you entered the building with small giggles. Sans behind you chuckled before entering too. Only then you took in the scenery in front of you:

It was a bar, or so it loked like, at least. The floor was made of wooden planks, shining like they were scrubbed everyday. And even if the walls were a darker color they weren't pushing you down. Tables were spread in the room, and some booths at your right side. Many monsters sat on those tables and in those booths, talking and chatting and laughing, all of it mixing into a comfortable mumble that was permanently present. You noticed only a few lights on the ceiling, but more on the walls, flooding the whole bar into a comforting light.

But those lamps weren't the source of the flickering that you saw outside. As your gaze drifted to the very end of the room you saw the bar, and behind the counter was a fire. You panicked for some seconds, grasping the next thing that was next to you: Sans' shoulder. He had stepped from behind you and grinned at the customers, who cheered his name, almost everyone at the same time. Only a bunny monster who looked rather drunk missed the cue and almost yelled "SAAANSY!" through the bar a few seconds later than everyone else. Many chuckled. Not you.  
You were still staring at the fire, and only after a moment you noticed the glasses and the suit. Oh. It was a monster. You let go of Sans' shoulder, calming yourself down, but still looked at the flames.

You couldn't help yourself: You've seen so many monsters before, living with them, even talking to them. You didn't even mind the monster that seemed to be made out of teeth, but a monster made of fire? You've never seen anything like this before. Sans next to you grabbed your elbow and dragged you towards the counter, mumbling something like "staring is rude" with a big grin to you. You blinked, only noticing that the fire man seemed to stare back at you. You could tell since the glasses that the monster was wearing faced you. As you got closer you could make out a shape in the flames, a form of a face. But only the form of it: you saw no mouth, no nose, no eyes. And as soon as you stood in front of the counter you could easily make out the chin, the jaw and the neck of the monster. But what would've been ear and hair was entirely flames.

Sans let go of your elbow but gently nudged you in your side, then sat down on one of the barstools. You blinked again. You were still staring. With blood rushing to your cheeks you quickly sat down next to the skeleton, keeping your gaze on the wooden counter.  
"how's it goin', grillbz?" Sans said in a friendly tone. To you it seemed like the two of them knew each other for quite a while since the bartender - Grillby - didn't even give an answer. You didn't see if he shrugged or anything since you still admired the surface of the counter. It looked polished. You only snapped out of your staring when Sans talked about you. "brought some company today. met them at the park and was shocked when they said they didn't know your place."

You shyly looked up to the man of fire, thinking that you already looked more than enough for one day. He looked back, at least you thought so. The front of the glasses were facing you. You gave a quick smile and decided to look down again, but it was hard. The never dying flames on his head were almost hypnotic.  
  
"i actually never got your name." Sans suddenly said again and you turned to him, on his face something that looked like frowning.  
"Oh my gosh, I really didn't tell you?" you said. How dumb can one be? You straighten up. "I am so sorry! My name is _____. I didn't mean to forget, oh my gosh." You hid your face in your hand but chuckled about yourself.  
"nah, 's alright, kiddo. didn't bother to ask myself." Sans said jokingly. You took your hands from your face and gave him a big grin. He grinned back at you, showing you his big and wide teeth. "so, what will ya have? menu is pretty limited, but that limited food is the best you'll ever have. there are burgers or fries."

You turned back to Grillby. In the time you and Sans were talking he had taken a glass and a piece of cloth and was now cleaning said glass. He turned his head to you and you couldn't help but get lost in the sight again. The flames flickered gently, slower than a normal fire even. They were tinted in a warm but friendly red and orange. Only now you noticed that even with being so close to him you didn't feel uncomfortably hot like you usually felt when you were this close to a fireplace. Instead you only felt a pleasent warmth coming from him.  
  
  
"I'd like to try a burger, please." you said towards Grillby. He simply nodded, but then put down the glass and the cloth. With his arm he gestured to the shelf behind him. A wide variety of flasks, bottles and even little barrels were presented there. Bottles long and thin, big and bulbous, green, brown, white.  
  
"Oh..." you simply made, trying to figure out what he meant. At first it looked like he wanted to ask you if you want anything, but his gesture was so wide and inviting that he looked like he was showing off. You were unsure what to say. To be fair, he really had a stunning collection of booze, but you went with your first assumption. "Thank you, but I wouldn't like anything alcoholic right... now... uh" you trailed off as the flame on his head flickered. It looked like it died down a little. Was he sad that you denied his offer, or did you misunderstood? You assumed he couldn't talk, since he had no mouth. But then again you had heard slime monsters without a visible mouth talk, so this could mean nothing. Unsure of what to say you just looked apolegetic at him.

And again, Sans saved you. "_____ wondered if you could make them a hot chocolate? they sat through my awful puns for a long time, all the while sitting on a bench in the cold." he said towards the bartender. And yes, you were right: his flames shot up again to their usual brightness and hight as he nodded and went to a door next to the counter. It swung open and swallowed any light that was emitted by the fire monster. As Grillby was gone Sans turned to you. "told ya. he's hot."  
As you remembered all the awful fire puns he made earlier you couldn't help yourself but burst into a small laughing fit, trying to cover most of it by one of your hands on your mouth. As you calmed down a little you saw Sans grinning at you.

You were glad that the skeleton was happier than when you first saw him. You didn't exactly know what big difference you made, but you didn't really care. Important was that you helped someone, and that this someone was being happy now.

 


	3. Generous Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It appears that monster magic might be deeper than you thought. The abbility to see if a human is good or bad on the first sight creates advantages for both monsters and humans

Just as you calmed down and breathed out a "Yeah, indeed!" you heard the door open again. You turned to see Grillby arrive with your food and a big mug. He was balancing another plate on his right lower arm. You made an awed face at this. At home you would always try this trick, but never succeeded. Gladly no plates were smashed while trying.  
The fire monster placed one plate with a burger in front of you, together with the mug. The smell coming from the food was delicious. The other plate was placed in front of Sans, before a bottle of ketchup was added to it. Weird. Also weird that Sans didn't even had to order. It looked like your assumption from earlier was right, they did know each other quite well.

You thanked the barkeeper for your food and complimented the look and smell of it. He gave a short bow to your direction before returning to the glass he had left earlier. What an odd and rare gesture, the bow. You barely have seen it outside movies. Sure, you saw it being used when someone was joking around, like you did with Sans when he held the door open for you. But you can't remember when you saw a casual bow like that.  
You noticed that you were lost in thoughts again, and finally decided to eat. Sans next to you was digging his burger already, but not without having it coated in a thick layer of ketchup. It was weird, it really was, and kind of gross, but you didn't give a second thought to it. Everyone had their own special taste, you guessed.

Speaking of taste, the food was delicious. It was freshly made, had a perfect temperature and the beacon on your burger was to die for. Before you knew it you finished the burger without having said a single word. But so did Sans. When you were done you turned yourself to the fire monster.

"Grillby," you remembered to use his name. "That was the best burger I had since a very long long time!" He turned to you, and you could see that the flames on top of his head burned brighter and higher. The orange in his flames became brighter until it was yellow, leaving only the end of his flames a shade of red. He gave you a friendly nod and returned his gaze to the glass in his hands, cleaning it with calm motions. Slowly the fire returned to normal, and the bright yellow faded. The usual red glow appeared again until he was only emitting a calm light. Had this been his way of a smile earlier? It might have been.

You and Sans sat there for what seems to be an eternity, but only had been a few hours. You joked around and did a little small talk. He didn't tell you why he had been sad earlier, and never told you why he was still afraid. And you didn't ask. You wouldn't pry, and you wouldn't push. You know how it felt when someone did that, so you avoided to do it with others if it wasn't neccessary.

You couldn't help but look at Grillby from time to time: it was still puzzling yet amazing to you how a being made out of fire could contain a physical form and control it. You also wondered how the clothing he was wearing wasn't burning. Shirt, vest, trousers, appron, shoes and even the bowtie around his neck remained intact, no matter how bright the flames burned. From time to time a costumer would call for him, and he quickly went to them to serve them. He sometimes passed your seat on the counter, and you could hear the "fwoosh" of the fire. When he was still and behind the bar, cleaning a glass, you could hear a faint crackle. Sounds a normal fireplace would do as well. It was amazing.

"uh, hey, still here with us?" you suddenly heard Sans' voice again. You blinked - you've been looking at Grillby once again - and nodded. "asked if you still want something. it's getting rather late." You looked down at your empty mug. You had three hot chocolates this evening, and all of them were delicious. The liquid would flow down your throat with a thick hotness that warmed you from the inside. Grillby's establishment provided warmth from the outside, and overall you felt so comfortable as if you've always been here. All the guest were very pleasent, too. When you thought of a bar you used to imagine rough guys playing dirty card games where everyone was cheating in some way or another, drinking strong liquor and starting fights.

But Grillby's wasn't anything like that. Sure, everyone except you were a monster, but that wasn't anything you worried about. Sometimes laughter cut through the soft mumble which was the result of all the chats caused by the costumers. The mumble had died down a little as the hours ticked by, costumers leaving with a wave and a shout towards Grillby and sometimes towards Sans, too. Everyone seemed to know everyone - except you. But they were nice even to you, sending you smiles and small waves whenever your view gazed over them. And you happily returned the smiles and waves. You felt so welcome here.

"Nah, I am fine." you finally answered and set down your mug. Grillby grabbed it instantly and stored it away to clean it later. Throughout the whole time he was very attentive towards you and Sans, but after a while you noticed that he was like that to everyone. As soon as he was called, he went to help and serve his costumers. He kept everything clean and looked up from his hands from time to time to check if anyone needed something. You thanked the barkeeper for the serving, and he simply nodded, not even looking up. But you noticed that his fire burned a little brighter, which made you happy somehow.  
"good, then we should head out. it's closing time soon.", Sans said, standing up. You did too. But the three mugs of hot chocolate wouldn't remain unnoticed  
  
"Uh, actually, one moment. I'll be right back." you mumbled as you rushed to the door with a toilet sign above it. Just like the rest of the bar, everything in the restroom was clean.  
When you returned you saw that Sans sat down again, talking to Grillby, who in return seemed to look very interested in whatever Sans said. You wondered if more than just friendship was going on between the two, but you didn't want to make any assumptions.  
  
"- at my puns and..." was the only thing you heard before he trailed off. You didn't want to interrupt them, but Sans stopped on his own and simply gave you a patient smile.  
"Thank you for waiting! What do I pay?" you ask as you started to rumage through your pockets. Before Grillby could even answer you heard Sans say "nah, 's okay. put it on my tab, grillbz. i owe you after all, _____." to which Grillby gave another nod.  
"No way." you say after a moment, frowning towards the skeleton. "I had like three mugs of chocolate and food. You only had a burger. My bill is higher than yours so I pay." Finally you maganed to get your money out of your pockets and turned to Grillby, not accepting any arguments. "Also you owe me nothing. Dunno why you think that!" You pulled out 15 dollars from your pocket and asked Grillby if this was okay. He looked at you for a moment. It felt like he looked you into your eyes. You didn't know how you could tell, but when he looked at you this time you felt a warmth flowing through you. It felt homey and friendly, yet strange. It didn't come from the outside and felt more like it was coming from everywhere inside of you. It wasn't strong, but noticeable. And it felt nice and wonderful. You assumed Grillby was the cause of it, another strange magic thing you didn't understand yet. You still hold your money in your hand and gave him a questioning look. Then he shook his head at you.

You blinked once, then twice. You knew hot chocolate wasn't the cheapest drink in stores, and the burger might have been a little more than you thought, but you never guessed that it all would have been more than 15. Heck, you even included your tip in your calculations. And of course you would leave a huge tip. As an appreciation of his very good service and as an apology for staring earlier.

"U-uhm, sorry..." you mumbled, embarrassed. Maybe he was struggling to pay his bills for this establishment. It was rather big, and you guessed that starting a business in an unknown world full of a judging species might be really hard. "So, is 20 alright with you?"  
Again, a simply shake of his head. You were truly confused now. Was it too much, still too little?  
Behind you Sans chuckled slightly. Another idea as to why Grillby was denying your money came to your mind. "Hey, don't put it on his tab like he said!" you grumble, pointing behind you to the skeleton. "I'll pay whatever I owe you."  
"buddy, it's his way of saying to never mind about it.", the skeleton said, still slightly chuckling to himself. You turned around, frowning again. "just accept it. that's the easiest thing." Just now you noticed that the warmth had left you as you faced away from Grillby, and you immediately missed it.  
So you looked to Grillby again and there it returned. Filling you with a wonderful feeling of being welcomed, being noticed and accepted. You gave him a big smile, and his flames nearly shot up in response, and the light around him grew brighter.

"Thank you a lot!" you said, trying to show how grateful you were. You weren't used to such kindness. If you wouldn't know that his fire wasn't really dangerous - since no incidents happened while you've been here - you would have been afraid about how high the flames went now. The warmth that flooded your body got more intense, and it made you all giddy and happy. But before you could say anything more Grillby was being called. As he broke eye contact with you - you could tell by the way how his head turned a little - the warmth left your body again. He rushed around the counter, but before he went to the costumer he stopped in front of you, holding his hand out to you. You quickly took it and shook it, giving him a big smile. You hadn't even thought about it, but now that you looked down to your hands a slight shock settled in. You expected to feel incredible pain shooting up your arms, since you shook the hand of a being made entirely of fire. His hands were solid, yes, but it looked like they were coated in ember and fire.

But all you felt was a comfortable warmth, not much warmer than the mug you were holding earlier. You wanted to keep the contact longer, to warm your hands on this warmth, but he let go off of your hand before you could lift your gaze again. When you did you saw Grillby going to the costumer that called for him.

Sans had just stood there, looking at the scene with a big grin. As you walked out and passed the barkeeper you gave a shy wave towards him. Grillby stopped in his tracks and waved back. At this Sans gave a slight chuckle and opened the door. You had no idea what was amusing him so much, but you take it that it was better than him sitting alone on a bench in the middle of a snowy park.  
As you walked a little Sans spoke up. "y'know, grillbz usually isn't that generous."  
That made you wonder instantly. Then why would he decline your money? After all, it was your first time at his bar. You were a stranger, a human too, and as much as you knew you didn't do anything to deserve something for free from him.

"But, why didn't he charge me then?" you asked out loud now. Sans gave a soft laugh to that. "maybe you blew one of his fuses with your charm!" he said before laughing more. You snorted at his pun, half amused, half annoyed.  
"No, seriously. I would have been more than glad to pay whatever I owe him. I feel bad now." you added. "Should I go back and insist that I pay for my food?"  
"nah, buddy, don't worry 'bout it. i know why he did that."  
"Well then... enlighten me." You earned a snort by Sans because of the world play and an honest answer, too.

"might've told him about how i met ya, and why i decided to take ya to his place." he said, sounding content at this. "so he decided to give ya a good evening as well."  
You thought a little about it. So he told Grillby that you had given Sans a little nit of company. That's really all you did. You two didn't have a big talk about the skeleton's problem, you didn't give him a therapeutic session and you surely didn't give him a huge emotional comfort. So you just frowned at Sans. He noticed and shrugged, but continued to explain.

"look. we monsters know when a human is good, when they mean good." he continues. "it's a magic thing. i saw the moment you walked up to me that you wanted to help me. your intentions were so clear that i already felt better knowing that a nice human is approaching. doesn't happen often, y'know. grillby saw the same in you. else he would have been more restrained towards you, especially after that staring you gave him."  
You bit your bottom lip in guilt. You knew you have been rude the moment you set a foot into the bar, staring like an idiot.

"Yeah... that was really rude of me..." you mumbled. Sure, he was something you would have never dreamt of. A man made entirely of fire was an eye catcher, yes. It still was rude.  
"no worries about it. he probably knew that you just were surprised." Sans reassured you and then stopped in front of an apartment building. You weren't too far from Grillby's, only a few blocks down. "welp, that's my place, but i can bring ya home if you want to."  
You shook your head but thanked him. "I'll be alright. This area's pretty safe. If we would be in the middle of the town I'd be happy about having company." you said. "But I'll find my way. If I'm right the park's down the street, huh?" When he confirmed that you sigh in relief. Your own place wasn't too far away, maybe 10 minutes of walking. "Yeah, then I'll make it. Thank you again for showing me Grillby's. What an awesome place."  
"i know, right?" he gave a short happy sigh, then held out his hand with a very friendly smile. You just grabbed it as quickly as you had taken Grillby's, but there was a big difference.

"Pffffhhhhfffthhh" came from your hands, and with a huge confusion written all over your face you looked down to them. You saw the woopie cushion between the boney hand and your fleshy one. When Sans started to laugh loudly you gave him a playful pout, but soon joined him. A harmless prank was always something you could laugh about, even if the joke was on yourself. After the good laugh you waved goodbye and promised to go back to Grillby's from time to time.  
As if you haven't already planned so.

 


	4. Light Chit Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grillby's is worth to be visited again, of course. So you walk over there and decide to contact the other costumers, too. Not before saying Hello to the bartender that is!

You came home safely, like you assumed, and instantly went to bed. It was late now, way later than you thought, and you were tired. You had a lot of stuff to think about, and for a while you couldn't stop your racing mind.

You wanted to think about what Sans meant with monsters knew when a human was good, or meant good. Sure, everyone sent out messages all the time with expressions, body language and gestures. Maybe you were just sending good vibes towards him when you approached him. But you surely didn't when you entered Grillby's. You were just staring at him like an idiot. And Sans said that he usually took this rather badly and stayed offish. Sure, Grillby didn't exchange one single word with you, but you didn't hear him say anything at all, not to anyone. So maybe he couldn't speak at all. And he seemed very friendly towards you. And when you remembered the warmth that had been flooding your body when he kept eye contact at that one moment you felt all giddy again. You didn't know what it was and how he managed to do it, but you just shoved it into the "magic thing that can't be understood yet" drawer in your brain.  
And with that giddy feeling in your chest you felt asleep.

You had no work the next day which you were thankful for. You slept in and decided that you deserved it, somehow. Still, when you got up you slightly felt guilty for misisng so much of the day. To make up for it you tried to store stuff away, somewhere, anywhere, but it barely made any difference. So you simply sat down on your usual spot and turned on your computer, checking various social media and sent out some greetings towards your internet friends. Most weren't online yet, but one of them responded quickly. You smiled a little, happy to hear that they were doing great and that they seemed to care about your well being too. It always felt great to know someone cared about you, of course. Another reason why you tried to care for others as well, to give others this comfy feeling.  
So you chatted a little with them, and soon you came to the topic of monsters. They haven't met one yet, but they've seen the news and saw pictures. They knew you liften amongst them now and asked you about them.

 _I dunno what to say, to be honest,_ you typed. _They're just like you and me, just looking differently._

 _thats the weird thing tho!_ , their respond said. You frowned slightly. _iv_ _e seen this weird thing made out of brown goo! Ew._ You understood that a sight like this through a screen could be frightening and maybe even disgusting. You yourself sometimes caught thoughts in your mind about monsters being too weird and too strange, especially when you first visited this place. But now you shrugged it off.

 _Nah, that's just the way it is on TV._ , you wrote back, trying to give them another point of view. _They're all perfectly fine, trust me. I've seen different types of monsters already, but I haven't met one that wasn't friendly._

_i dont doubt that, but man, they look so weird! Like those monsters from horror movies and games, dont they?_

_Maybe. But they surely don't act like it! Just yesterday I was at this bar. A monster runs it, too, and all of the visitors were monsters. Not one of them was rude to me, the opposite actually. I didn't know one of them, but they all smiled to me and greeted me._

_Huh, weird._ , they wrote back. You tried to figure out what was so weird about it. In your opinion humans should smile too when they see a friendly face. Sure, everyone has their bad days and it was hard to smile, but if you were feeling like it then why not give a friendly and polite smile towards those who cross your path? _News always show monsters nowadays and i barely saw one smile._

 _Well. In what situations were the monsters in?_ You knew the answer perfectly well. Monsters tried to explore other parts of the town, the whole area actually, eager to see more of the new world that was open for them now. You would do the same if you got the chance to see a whole new world. You imagined yourself in a world like you've seen in movies: bioluminescent plants, huge dragon like creatures flying in the sky which was decorated with two moons and-  
The messaging noise from your computer interrupted your thoughts

 _well, they usually run away from stuff._ "Stuff", you huffed in slight sarcasm.

_I wouldn't smile either if I knew that someone was chasing me and I didn't do anything bad._

_Yeah, guess i would too. Sorry for all the rambling, when i see a monster buddy ill make sure to try to be friendly, too._ You were incredibly happy when you read that. You knew why you considered them as one of your friends. You might not have seen them before from face to face, but you still knew they were a good person.

_No need to be sorry about something like that. It all is a new situation for us. I mean, only a few months ago I wouldn't have thought about walking and talking skeletons and beings made entirely out of fire!_

_Youve seen a skeleton??_ Oh, right. They loved A Nightmare Before Christmas, in which a walking and talking skeleton was the main protagonist. Or was Jack Skellington an anti-hero? You shrugged and started to type again.

_Yeah, met him yesterday. He invited me to that restaurant. And that's owned by a monster made out of fire._

You could read your friends excitement in their answer. _Oh my gosh thats so cool! Could he move his face?_  
  
Strangely enough, yes, he could. But I swear his body is made entirely out of bones. Then again I saw a fire man wearing glasses and a suit, too, so not all that strange.

 _Man, monsters are weird. BUT! Also lovely, from your describtion anyways._ You grinned at the screen. They were right. Even after living with monsters and meeting a lot of them lately you still found some things weird about them, but not in a bad way. You weren't afraid, and tried to ignore the fact that you couldn't understand and know everything, but the urge to try and explain everything to yourself was still existent. And you guessed you wouldn't get rid of that feeling at all.

 _Hey, i have to go. But thanks for trying to give me more input about monsters!_ You sighed a little about the fact that they had to go. You wanted to talk more about the new species and wanted to tell them about all the pleasent conversations you had with monsters. But instead you wrote a quick goodbye note and wished them a good day, at leats what was left of it. You noticed that you had been on the computer for quite a while and turned it off. After a moment of arguing with yourself about what you could do now you grabbed your jacket, put on your shoes and left your flat.

You spent a lot of time outside ever since you've moved. Not just because your flat was small but also because it was very pleasent. It was only afternoon and many monsters were out. A sight so scaring to so many humans, yet so happy to you. Many of them were talking to each other, others were hurrying down the street but still were smiling a little. And in the distance you could even see another human! You couldn't see more than that it was an older man, and that he seemed to be peaceful and friendly as well. You sighed in relief and made your way to the park. It wasn't rare that humans came here, but it was rare that they were tolerant, and even rarer that they were friendly. You've seen rude people coming here, and you tried your best to ignore these or even defend a harmless monster if they would go too far. You didn't intervene with every fight you saw or heard, and no monster expected you to do so. But when you found that it was enough you didn't hesitate to go up to the bully and tried your best to talk to them. You never raised your fist, but sometimes you would raise your voice: if the bully shouted at you too, despite you being calm and polite, or if they ignored you.

But often enough you could get through them and it left them baffled. Sometimes they tried to argue more with you, trying to convince you that monsters would run over humanity and take up every space that's left, taking work, money and power from humans. You on the other hand had the real facts: there weren't too many monsters, since the limited space down underground wouldn't allow them to be more. You told them that they could create more work places and were a new group of costumers for the economy. You also knew that monsters were quite wealthy, actually: back in the Underground they used bits of gold as their currency. Of course, when they came to the surface they convertend this gold into human money. Still, the value was the same. You never said that out loud, tho: you didn't want to give humans another reason to rob monsters.

Sooner or later most of the bullies would waddle away, either frustrated because they couldn't make you angry and mad or left staggered about what you said. After that the monster - or the group of them - that got bullied on thanked you way too much. Once you had a small monster follow you around for quite a while, always telling you how thankful they were. They looked like a ball with ear, white and fluffy, and it could only hop. You didn't ignore it, but tried to soothe it so it would take care of itself. You still saw it sometimes, and you were happy when it hopped over to you to talk to you for a little. You never caught the name of it, but it didn't know yours either.

By the time the memory of your little monster friend was over you've reached the park. It wasn't as cold as yesterday, and many monsters were there too. You put on a friendly and polite smile. It was already instinct whenever you saw a big group of monsters and since they did the same it wasn't too hard to follow this instinct. You greeted those back who greeted you and you started a conversation with those who looked like they got the time and the interest. Most of them gladly joined, others gave you short answers and had to move again. Just like humans.

Before you noticed it you found yourself on the way to Grillby's. You just shrugged about it and decided that it was a good idea anyways. You promised you'd visit again, and you wanted to do so. The food was good, the atmosphere wonderful and maybe you could enjoy another hot drink.  
And not to forget about Grillby himself. You were still curious about how his physicality worked, but you knew that wasn't the only reason. You just enjoyed watching him do his job. It seemed like he was eager and happy to do it, and you just liked to see people being happy with what they did. Way too many do their jobs simply because the payment was good, or because they were stuck in a complicated situation.

It wasn't hard to find it again. The sign was bright and easy to noticed since it was already getting darker outside. Winter days were dark indeed, so you were even more eager to get into the warm and shiny atmosphere of the establishment.  
You stepped inside and noticed a few faces from yesterday. Mostly the group of dog like looking monsters who turned their head to you when you entered. Right. You still were the only human here and it was stilla little weird. Yet you put on a smile when you saw that the monsters were simply curious, then recognized you and smiled at you. You took off your coat and walked to the counter, sitting down at the place you sat on yesterday, Proud that you didn't enter with a stare you finally decide to look behind the counter. Grillby was there, looking at you with bright flames that flickered quickly. You assumed that was a smile, at least you hoped it was.

"Good evening." you said after he simply looked at you for a moment. He gave you a friendly nod and continued to look. Probably his way of asking what he could do for you. You haven't thought about this beforehand and were now struggling. You felt like having something that would warm you up a little, but didn't want another hot chocolate. It tasted amazing, yes, but you kinda had enough for a little since you had three yesterday.  
Grillby noticed your hesitation and slightly turned around to point at the various bottles of liquor, just like he had done yesterday. The gesture wasn't impatient, the opposite actually. It gave you the feeling that you could take all the time you needed to think about what you wanted. All in all, Grillby himself seemed to be a very patient personality. He never seemed to hurry too much or stress about anything. That's all just an idea anyways. After all you've only spent one evening in his bar before.

Grillby returned to clean a glass again, keeping his gaze down. The flames died down a little, but only to stay in a constant and slow flicker. The crackling coming from him were calm and silent. You figured out that this was his "normal" state when he was just content. Like when humans had a relaxed expression on their face when enjoying something.  
You also put on this face as you looked around a little, having more time now that you were alone here. Sans has been good company, but you didn't have enough time to look around when he always was up for a joke or another conversation topic. Now you could eye the costumers a little more without having to worry that you missed something of a conversation.

It wasn't so full like it had been the day before: there was the group of dog monsters that noticed you earlier, now playing a card game. There were 3 of them and sometimes you could even hear a bark of surprise or joy or frustration about something that happened during the game.  
There was the drunk bunny monster that missed the cue of shouting Sans' name yesterday. It wasn't too drunk yet, but it already looked tipsy, having its head on the table in front of it and looking out of the window in a dreamy way. And so many other individuals that were just enjoying the bar, just like you did.

Your gaze drifted back to Grillby, who was already looking at you. His flames on top of his head shot up a little and burned a little brighter, giving you his own kind of a smile. You smiled back.  
"Um..." you then started. "I am actually not sure what I'll have. Do you have tea, or coffee? Anything hot?". You didn't want to say 'But not hot chocolate again', but you thought he got the idea. He put down glass and rag and grabbed a bottle from the shelf behind him. You noticed that non-alcoholic drinks were stored on the lowest shelf. He took a clean cup from the shelf that was hidden underneath the counter and poured water into it, very slowly and careful to not spill anything. After putting the bottle back to were it belongs he puts both of his hands on the cup. You first thought he wanted to pick it up in an extra careful way but soon you noticed that his hands began to glow brighter and brighter. Soon steam came from the water.

Your mouth dropped slightly. You remembered that his hand were only warm when you shook it the day before, and now he could make a cold drink almost boil? It was amazing! You figured that he could control his body temperature at will.  
When the water was hot enough he walked a little further down the counter shelf and grabbed various boxes of tea to bring them to you. You went over them and decided for an orange tea. He gave you a nod, took one tea bag and put it in the hot water. Grillby placed it together with some sugar in front of you.

  
"Thank you so much." you said. The way he had handled the water made you think that the liquid might be dangerous for him. So you really appreciated that he went through the trouble just to make you some tea. His fire simply burned a little brighter as he returned to clean the glass. Maybe he was just modest and tried to avoid any embarrassing moments. Maybe you were just wrong with your assumption that water might hurt him. No matter what, you were still thankful. Of course it was his job to serve you, but he did it with a joy that was easily contagious.

As you waited for your tea to brew you noticed that the dog monsters were looking at you. As you looked over to them they waved and called you. Since they didn't have a name they referred to you as 'human'. You were totally okay with it, tho.  
"Human! Why not come over and play a game with us!" a slender looking dog with a dog treat in his jaw said.  
"Yes, you look rather..." one dog in a heavy looking cloak said and stopped before another dog in a same looking cloak continued:  
"... lonely."

  
You smiled and nodded to them, telling Grillby you would be over there. He let you know that he understood with a small nod and a flicker of his flame, so you went over to the dogs. You didn't really want to leave Grillby, but it also was kind of rude to interrupt him in his work. Also, it was a good idea to socialise more. You didn't really have someone in this area you would call a close friend. So it was only good to go over to the others. All of them seemed to be excited to see you and were very curious about you, too. Asking you a few question about yourself. In return you asked some questions yourself and got to know their names. The one who called you over was Doggo, and the ones who always finished each other's sentences were named Dogaressa and Dogamy.

After the chatting they invited you to a game of poker, and you had to admit that you didn't know how to play. You knew tiny bits and pieces, but certainly not enough to play it properly. The monsters didn't seem to care, even were enthusiastic to explain it to you. And they did it very well: Soon you buried your face into the cards and try to guess the next steps that the others would do.  
  
You weren't a good player, tho. You didn't win once, but you still had a lot of fun. The dogs had an excitement living in their souls that was contagious, and soon you were laughing with joy and sometimes yelping in frustration.

 


	5. Good service

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Grillby gives you a special treatment and absolutely no body knows why

During the games you had finished your tea, and soon after you had put down your empty cup Grillby appeared next to the table. He silently took it and looked at you, his fire seemed to flicker with a question.  
"Do you have any juices, like apple juice or cherry?" you asked the monster. He gave a nod and returned to his place behind the counter, rumaging through the shelves. You turned back to your cards and playfully shoved the dog who tried to spy your cards away from you.

Grillby returned with apple juice and placed the glass in front of you. You noticed that he was serving it like it was the finest wine of the house: the glass had been sitting on a clean serving plate before he had taken it off of it and placed in front of you. He did so with a gently but firm grip with his right hand. Over his forearm was a clean and white piece of cloth while his left arm was hidden behind his back. He bent over a little as he draped the glass of simple apple juice in front of you.  
And of course you couldn't do much else than just watch as he went through this procedure, you haven't seen him doing it before. Of course he was always professional and careful with the drinks of his costumers, but never like _that._  
You noticed that the monsters around the table looked at him, too, with baffled expressions. It looked like they weren't used to this extravagancy either.

"O-oh, thanks... a lot!" you stuttered and looked up to him. His flames flickered brightly as he bowed to you and returned to the bar with quick steps. You looked back to the dog monsters and gave them a questioning look. You were glad that your back was turned to the bar, so that Grillby couldn't see the awe and also slight shock in your eyes.

"Don't ask us, we have no idea." Doggo said and shrugged his shoulders, but still slightly confused. "He only does that when he serves a big meal or something really expensive."  
You picked up the glass and gave a sniff, and after smelling just apple juice you took a small sip. It was still just plain old apple juice.

  
"Apple juice isn't considered very expensive amongst monsters, right?" You asked, not afraid about informing yourself about monster culture. Dogamy shook his head.  
"No, we had..."  
"... plenty of it underground..."  
"... as well." The married dog told you in symphony. You blinked at the glass as it could give you the answer as to way Grillby gave you a special treatment. Maybe he was just showing off, trying to impress the human that visited his bar. Deciding that this must be it you enjoyed a sip of your drink. You had to admit, that show was really enjoyable. Not only did Grillby enjoy his job, he was also very good at it, too. You were glad he had this fullfillment in his life.

"So, Grillby's in the Underground. Was it a lot different than the one here on the surface?" You asked while studying your cards again. The dog monsters weren't quiet players: Whenever they didn't fuss about a turn of the game they did smalltalk, and you happily joined in.  
You also knew that monsters liked to compare their life from the Underground with the new life above, so it was a good topic.

  
"Well," Doggo said while rearranging his cards. "It was smaller, a lot smaller. Not that it wasn't comfy, but Greater Dog always stumbled over bar stools before he got to his place. And when Grillbz had busy days where he was kinda stressed out he sometimes ran into tables."  
"Ouch." you instinctively make while picturing it. After all, running into things isn't pleasent at all. You didn't know who this Greater Dog was, but you felt sorry for it when hearing that he stumbled over stools. Also not very pleasent at all.  
"Hm mh..." Doggo thought for a second before playing a cards, to which everyone responded a while. After the exciting turn was over he picked the topic up again. "Now we have more space here, even with having more seats and tables. Since this Grillby's opened we didn't have anyone who ran into tables or stumbled over chairs. Trust me, Greater Dog is really happy about that.

"I am too." you said, and you really were. You knew that crowding had been a big problem in the Underground. The fact that everyone had more personal space now made you happy indeed. "I sometimes stub my toe when I go to the toilet at night. Or I run into my doorframe. I know how it is to live in a small place" you tell your game partners as you played a card. The others easily beat you since your moves were still dumb and naive, but you didn't mind.

After the turn Dogaressa spoke up, followed by her husband.  
"You say this as if..."  
"... you don't like your place." You looked up, shooting them a smile.  
"It gets really cramped in there, yes, but it's home. I am glad I moved here, away from the center of the town." you truthfully said. "All my stuff doesn't really fit in there, but I have a bed, a kitchen and a bathroom as well as laptop, TV and books. Sure, more space would be nice, just like it's nicer that this place is bigger, but it's not like I can't walk in my flat."

"Why not..."  
"... move again?"  
"Eh..." you simply made, shrugged and lowered your gaze again, unsure if you should tell them about how little money you had and made. Sure, you had enough to buy food and essentials like new clothes. You also had enough to spend some of your money for hobbies and even go out to eat sometimes. You were also sure you could easily spend money for Grillby's. But only if the apple juice turned out to be normal priced apple juice.  
  
  
Feeling the curious looks of everyone on the table you gave a short sigh. It wasn't annoyed, more of a simple sentence starter. "Don't have the funds, to be honest. Maybe I'm able to save some money since I pay less rent here. I could also sell some of my stuff on Ebay, I guess. Makes money and space, right?" You looked up to see a variety of expressions: Amusement at your statement at the end, confusion about what the heck Ebay was and - most commonly - compassion. To be frank, your voice wasn't cheerful at all. Of course you wished to make more money, to escape your boring job. But it was hard to find anything that suited you, and with the moving and the monsters roaming the world now you had been distracted.  
You decided to not think about the problem of finding a new job right now.

"Do you have friends who..."  
"... can help you out?"  
"Or family?" the couple asks you. This conversation picked up a topic that you gladly tried to push away whenever you could. You tried not to think about this stuff, and usually you succeeded.  
"No." you simply said, harsher than you intended to do. Slightly shocked you put down your cards and immediately apologized. "It's just a topic I don't like to talk about. Or, think about at all."

Compassionate as all monsters were they nodded and dropped the topic. Most humans would push you to tell more, but not these guys. All that mattered to them was that you felt comfortable around them. You gave a sigh in relief and picked up the cards, but the game was soon over.

You all agreed to a new round and just as you studied your cards carefully the whole room shouted "SANS!" in union, except you. You yelped in surprise and jumped, which resultet in your cards being thrown in the air. You looked to the door to see the skeleton standing in front of it, raising his hand lazily to give a small wave. He noticed you and waddled over to your table, earning a big happy pant from all the dogs.

"i expected confetti but hey, guess cards do it too." the monster said with a big grin which you returned. It was great to see him in a good mood.  
"Next time I bring a confetti canon and shoot the stuff in your face." You said while starting to pick up your cards. While doing so Sans sat down next to Doggo. For a moment everyone put their cards down to exchange some chit chat. You jumped in the conversation once all your cards have been picked up.

  
During the chatting Grillby returned to your table, now serving Sans a burger and a bottle of ketchup. You payed attention to him as soon as you saw him, and indeed, he now was serving the order in a simple yet professional way: he set the plate casually in front of Sans. No white piece of cloth draped over his forearm, no left arm hidden behind his back. He served it with a casualness that made the earlier treatment even more special.

Sans noticed your looks on Grillby, and as soon as the waiter went back to the bar he leaned forward a little. "looks like grillbz gives you the hots, huh?"  
You were thrown back a little by this statement, and you chocked on the sip if apple juice you had just taken. After a small coughing fit you shook your head.  
"No, yes, I mean, the way he served you your menu..." you started and trailed off, unsure how to explain.  
"it's normal like that, why?"  
"Well. When I ordered my apple juice" you picked up the glass in a meaningful manner. "he served it as if it was a precious glass of wine with gold flocks in it. It was really professional and awesome and elegant and-" You had to stop yourself, trying to not gush about it more than that.  
It looked like the skeleton raised a bone, one of his eye sockets growing bigger and the other squinting a little, as if he can't believe it.  
"nah, he only does that at special occassions." he unwillingly repeated what Doggo had said earlier. You gave your glass another questioning stare but remebered your thought from earlier.

"Maybe he wants to impress the human that visits his bar?" You said it out loud and gave everyone a smile that said 'That must be it, right?'  
Doggo and Sans looked like they doubted this thought. Dogamy and Dogarressa were occupied in nose nuzzling, so they couldn't give you an opinion about that.  
"There were humans here before." Doggo started to explain. "They didn't greet anyone tho, just sat down and waited to be served as if they own this place. They weren't exactly rude, don't worry." he added when your expression must have taken a protective look. "They seemed to have fun, to be honest. Laughing about small things, something about a show they saw on TV. I remember because it was only a few days ago, actually..." He trailed off a little, embarrassed that he got carried away. You gave him a reassuring nod, saying that it was okay and you were listening no matter what.  
"Well, point is," he smiled at you for being patient with him. "Grillby didn't serve them the way he served you. They ordered a full meal with drinks and everything."

You frowned. An apple juice cannot be considered something big and extravagant. Sans, who had begun do splatter ketchup all over his burger again stopped to do so and looked at you like he had a plan in his mind, which he did.  
"finish your drink and order a new one." he said, putting down the bottle and folding his hands under his chin. You shrugged, took the last small sip of the juice and put the glass close to the end of the table, so it was easier for Grillby to pick up.  
Not long after you did so said monster came by and took the glass, looking at you again in a questioning way. You noticed that his flames flickered quickly and bright, giving you a feeling of excitement and eagerness.  
"I'd like another apple juice if that's alright?" you asked. With another flicker of his fire he nodded and quickly returned to the bar.

Sans was sitting in front of you, which means that he could see the bar. You didn't want to be rude, so you didn't turned around to see what's going on. But as soon as you heard Grillby's footsteps Sans' eyesockets grew wide.  
The waiter served you the glass in the same procedure as before. It was still stunning the second time. It made you feel special in some way or another, filling you with giddiness and joy. You thank Grillby, trying to show him these feelings you got when he served you. His flames grew big and bright, and the crackling was loud when he bowed. After he returned to his place behind the poor Sans made a voice of surprise.

"man, you were right, it's kinda strange. but also kinda cool." he admitted before taking a huge bite out of his kecthup laden burger. You nodded and took a sip from the juice. Still very normal tasting, nothing special.  
"Well, not really cool." You said, earning a surprised look from everyone around the table. "It's more like hot stuff!"  
Sans snorted loudly, trying not to choke on his burger, and the dog monsters gave short barks as a laugh.

Everyone was enjoying the company of each other a little and Sans finished his burger. Attentive as Grillby was he came by quickly and got the plate. But instead of leaving immediately he stood there for a second. Only when you looked up to him, curious about what he wanted, he moved again, not before shooting you his own way of a smile. You couldn't even return it since he was gone so quickly. What was all of this about? The other monsters ignored this deliberately, except for Sans. The skeleton's grin was so wide that you thought his skull would crack any second now.

  
"What is it?", you asked, frowning at him. He shrugged, but continued to throw you that grin. "Tell meee!" you begged in a playful manner, doing a pouty face.  
"it's just that i haven't seen grillby like this for a long time.", Sans said. He wiggled what could have been eyebrows at you. You still didn't understand.  
"Well, when was the last time he was like this? I mean, it's great, he seems to be happy, considering that his uh, flames are bright? That means something, right?"  
The monster on the table instandly shot you a smile, every single one of them. You were baffled. Of course you knew monsters were much friendlier than humans, but even if they were, this was still confusing.

"You can already read his emotions?" Doggo asked, putting down his cards openly. No one was paying attention to the game anyways.  
"Uh, duh?" you made, squinting at him. "It's not that hard. I can only make assumptions, but I guess big bright flames 'Yay I'm happy' and on the other hand small and dim flames mean 'Oh I'm sad'. Sometimes they flicker in a special way, as if he wants to ask something." you shifted your expressions to the statements to emphasize it.  
"That's the basics, yes. But" Doggo leaned forward a little. "Usually humans aren't so good to see the difference. Even to some monsters the flames look all the same all the time."  
You had to admit to yourself that the changes of the fire of Grillby were subtle, yes. But if someone paid enough attention the changes of it were clearly to be seen.  
"This probably means that I'm just rude and stared too much." you giggled a little at this. "I mean I came in here staring, stayed like that for minutes and even now I stare a lot."  
"kiddo i told ya it's fine." Sans jumped in the conversation. "no hard feelin's, trust me. but it is surprising that you know what grillbz want after one evenin' of being here. usually it takes longer. you must really care about others."

  
You leaned back a little in your seat and tried to bury yourself in the cushions when everyone agreed to it, and soon they started to list all the good little things about you that they noticed. Truth be told, you weren't used to such praise, and you were sure that they all exaggerated all of it. You were just yourself, sometimes biting down words that were on your tongue because it could hurt someone.  
"Guys, c'mon..." you finally spoke up after a while. They turned to you, seeing that you were slightly uncomfortable and embarrassed.

"Woops, sorry. We got carried away." Doggo said. "But it's easy to brabble about a good person."  
"Shush." you make and took a sip of your apple juice, mostly to hide your face behind it.  
"no sush, you shushy shusher." Sans said, another big smile plastered on is skull. "remember what i told ya about the good and bad person detecting thing?" You nodded into your glass. "we can still feel the good vibes comin' from ya."

"Hah... now I know why you say 'sending good vibes to you'. You know, to let someone know you care about them.". You often said it while chatting to friends, especially when they felt sad or down. It was a good way of showing that you wanted to be with them to make them feel better, but you couldn't, since you were stuck on the other side of the planet.

Sans nodded. "with the difference that we really can feel it. it's so relieving to know that there are humans out there who can send such good felings to us monsters, ya know? shows that we have a chance. shows that we can belong up here, too."  
  
  
"What, of course you guys do!" You said too loud for your liking. The way Sans said it as if it wasn't true already made you feel a little angry at this statement, not at him tho. You tuned your voice down a little. "Of course you all do belong here. Humans just have to learn how to share. But we live on this planet all together, so why being all mad at each other, creating a negative enviroment we all have to live in? We could easily make it happy, too." you mumbled. You earned some relieved looks from the monsters around you.  
"you're the first human to say this." Sans said. His pupils were dilated and he seemed to be happy to hear it.  
"But surely not the first to think like that." You countered. "I bet there are many humans in this town who think like that, trust me. We're not all too bad... sure, there are idiots and bad guys too, but... well." You didn't know how to finish, but you got the feeling that the monsters understood.  
  
  
" 'course not every human is bad. you're a good example of a very good person." Sans said, raising the bottle of ketchup towards you and taking a huge sip out of it.

You tried to bury yourself in the cushions once again.

 


	6. From Fiery Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get an idea about what Grillby thinks of you, and we notice that you left a very good first impression, no matter what.

 

While you were having fun and chatted with your new friends you never noticed that Grillby almost always watched you. He now understood the position you've been in yesterday. He could barely move his hidden eyes from you, but had to from time to time to see of other costumers needed something.

  
There was just something captivating about you. It wasn't just the fact that your soul almost screamed with kindness and helpfullness. You tried to follow your souls wish to help others, and you succeeded. Not only helped you one of his friends, Sans, but you also stayed so casual and friendly towards other monsters as if you've known nothing else in your life. As if monsters weren't anything special and weird to you anymore.

It was this behavior that caught his attention. Sure, he had seen humans who tired to act as friendly as you, but the aura that their souls created told him that they struggled to keep up the act. You on the other hand didn't even have to try. You were just how you were.  
He enjoyed being around you. When he was close to you he could feel the positive vibes of your strong human soul even more, and it made his core burn hotter. It made him feel alive. And it seems that his costumers felt like this, too, since they already accepted you in their round.

Yet he was slightly irritated. Why would a kind human like you choose to live among monsters? Of course he knew you were very accepting and eager to know more about the monsters. But you could live anywhere else and have anyone as your friend, no doubts. You could become the main part of a huge friend group, being the one everyone looks up to and who wants to be like you. He knew that he did this. He looked up to you for your kindness towards a species that you didn't even knew about several months ago. He wanted to be just as understanding and helpful like you were.

So why didn't you go out and have fun with your friends? You had been at his bar for quite a while today, and you didn't check your phone even once. He guessed that you only had little time since you surely had many friends who demand to be in your presense, right?  
Unless he was wrong. He didn't know many facts about you, after all. He could easily describe your personality, since your soul was calling out and open for everyone. Some humans were reserved, and so their souls were as well. It was hard to read those. Not you, tho. But he didn't know where you lived, or what your last name was. He only had an idea about your age, but not about your job. He couldn't tell if you had a big family or lived on your own.

He didn't even know if you had someone special in your life or not.

Grillby quickly pushed thoughts like that away. It wasn't his business. He had no right to know these things, and he absolutely had no right to try to find out. If had someone who made you happy then that's what you deserved. If you didn't then... well. He hoped you would find someone who was just as supportive and nice like you were.  
  
  
He was lost in these thoughts while looking at you. He couldn't see much more than your hair and back. But soon something else caught his eyes: Sans' huge grin and his eyes that rested on Grillby. When both of them made eye contact the skeleton started to wiggle his eyebrows at the bartender who just lowered his gaze again. He knew what Sans was thinking, and he was wrong. No matter how kind, or nice, or positive you were, he only knew you for one evening and several hours. Not worth to think about you like that yet. Having you as a friend seemed to be very pleasent for now, and even with that he was unsure. He didn't exchange one word with you yet, and he didn't dare to. Not yet.

Some negative reactions to what he had said in the past made him grow silent. Friends and family who got hurt by things he shared with them. Strangers that left him when he told them something they didn't like. So, instead of hurting those he didn't knew well enough, he grew quiet. Some say he locked himself out of this world, but he did not. He communicated through gestures and emotions, and it works out very well. It was a good way to separate those who care enough about others to understand him, and those who simply ignored his hints. Another good thing about being silent was that his gestures leave much room for interpretations for the other. Sometimes this could lead to confusion and frustration, but at least he knew that it wasn't his fault. The other simply didn't try enough to understand him.

He cleaned glass after glass while watching you, trying to ignore Sans' looks of smugness. Grillby simply didn't have many chances to look at a friendly human socializing with monsters. At least that's what he told himself.  
As you finished yet another glas sof apple juice he immediately walked to your side and took it, giving you a questioning look. It was great how you already understood him since you said you were fine for now. It made him a little disappointed that he couldn't serve you right away again, but he nodded and gave you a smile to show that he understood. You smiled back and told him that you'd call for him if you needed anything. He hoped this was soon.  
  
  
He walked to the bar again, a little reluctant. The good vibes that were coming from your soul were getting weaker and weaker the more he walked away. But even with some distance he could sense it if he looked at you.  
  
  
To his surprise you stood up after a while, stretching for a moment before lazily walking over to the bar. Grillby could feel his flames shooting up in response, earning a smile from you. You sat down on the stool you've been on yesterday and today before you went over to the dogs. Even if he was very happy that you were being close again he leaned his head a little to the side to ask you why you changed seats.

Again, it was amazing how fast you learned to understand him.

"They started talking about a topic I have no idea of." you said and rested an arm on the counter. After giving you another questioning look you said in a heavy and desperate tone: "Mettaton"  
Grillby straightened his head again and gave a tiny nod. He didn't really like the celebrity. Whenever the robot decided to show up in his bar everyone would go nuts and forget good manners. Mettaton cheered to the costumers, inciting them to yell and scream his name. He then would take one of the chairs and climbed on it, so everyone would surely see him. He loved the attention he got, but was cold and even angry at Grillby for not having the same enthusiasm.  
  
"You should speak up, Grillboy~" he would always say. The bartender simply nodded at this whenever it happened and returned to clean a glas that wasn't even dirty.

"I mean, I've heard of this Mettaton..." you now continued. Ready to hear more Grillby put down rag and glass and turned not just his head but also his body towards you, to show that he was listening. "But I've never seen a show of him. Our TV channels show his stuff to awful times. Like, 2am or 7am when no one is really watching." Your voice was sounding disappointed at that, mostly because you thought it was unfair to send monster shows to such terrible times. After a moment you frowned.  
"What exactly is Mettaton doing, anyways? Movies? Music? Dancing?"  
  
  
Grillby didn't know how to tell that the robot actually did everything that was possible. He didn't feel quite comfortable with speaking yet. He didn't want to chase you away with whatever he says. He wanted that you returned to his place whenever you could. So he simply nodded for three times, each time agreeing to what you said. You frowned again, but only for a second. Then your face lighted up, getting what he wanted to say. Only to falter again in confusion.

"He does _all_ of that?!" you asked in disbelief. Happy that you understood him once again he smiled and nodded. It was so easy to communicate with you. He didn't have to make huge gestures. He didn't have to do everything twice or for even more times.  
"Wow. I am actually impressed." you mumbled. "I am happy that I know how to do the waltz, and gosh diddly darn, no one should hear me sing _ever_!"

You gave a small giggle at this, and Grillby felt warmer. It was a nice sound, and it was good to know that you felt happy. A kind person didn't deserve to feel sad or depressed. Of course, even the happiest person had their bad days, but he hoped these were a rarity for you.  
"Looks like I should check this Mettaton out, huh? He sounds like an interesting person."  
_Person._ Not monster, not beast, not robot. You referred to him as a person, even while knowing that he indeed was a monster. By doing so you put him, and every other monster too, on the same level like you. It showed that you truly didn't think that monsters were something below humans.  
  
  
Grillby shrugged his shoulders at this. Sure, he didn't have a high opinion about Mettaton, but he would never let this distort his relationship to those who did like the robot. So you should make your own opinion about him, and Grillby would let you.

"I think once I got enough time I'll try to give it a shot. Can't really judge without seeing it myself, right? Maybe next time I got a day off I will..." You trailed off. He didn't know why, but your face looked apolegetic, so he tilted his head at you.  
"I am sorry. I was brabbling about something so irrelevant. I didn't mean to disturb you." You said and lowered your gaze. Now you couldn't see his shake of his head and his reassuring flicker of his flames. He tried to get your attention with waving, but you seemed to be lost in thoughts, just ike he sometimes was.

So he gently tapped you on your shoulders. It seemed to surprise you a little, but you finally looked up. With his hand resting on your shoulder he shook his head in a soothing manner, trying to tell you that it was okay. He liked listening to you, even if it was about a topic he didn't liked to much.  
In return you gave him one of your biggest smile. He could feel his fire burn brighter at an instant at this, but he didn't try to hide it. He knew you weren't afraid of him anymore, knowing that he wasn't dangerous. As long as he decided to not be.  
  
  
So you picked up the conversation again, and continued even while he cleaned glasses, mugs and cups. He nodded from time to time, or looked back at you for a moment to show that he was listening. And he was indeed. For the first since forever a costumer had to call twice for him. He quickly put glass and rag down, gave you a small look as an apology and hurried to the costumer, embarrassed and sorry that they had to wait. He bowed as an apology and they gladly accepted it. They wanted to pay for their meal and then left the bar.  
  
  
When he returned he gave you a small flicker with his flames, silently saying sorry. You just smiled reassuringly and spoke up again. Grillby was glad you did and continued to listen, this time still paying a little more attention towards his other costumers.

Soon Sans joined the two of you and flopped to the seat next to you.  
"how ya doin', you lovebirds?" he asked and snorted. You blushed instantly at this, and Grillby too could feel a cold crawling up to his face. Sans chuckled even more at this.  
"I was just telling Grillby about some human tv shows that I enjoy, since you guys talked about Mettaton a lot." you explained after you calmed down again. Grillby nodded quickly to agree. "You know, movies, series and stuff like that."  
"anime too?" Sans asked and surprised you by knwoing this term. Then again, monsters lived on the surface for several months now. It was a good chance that he knew about it, of course.  
"Eh, I do enjoy some." you said and named some of the animes you watched. "But I like movies more, animated features, too. I know they're mostly meant for children, but man, they're so creative."  
  
  
Soon you and Sans talked about the different movies you enjoyed, while Grillby was listening and watching. It made him happy to see how your eyes lightened up when you talked about a movie you enjoyed a lot. You would use many gestures and laughed a lot. Sans seemed to enjoy your company too.

Overall, it was one of the best business days Grillby ever had. He wished you would stay until closing time, but after another hour or so you clapped in your hand once.  
"Welp, it's hard to say this, but I need to go." you announced and turned to Grillby. During the conversation you had faced Sans most of the time since you were mostly talking to him. But from time to time you would turn to him, telling something directly to him and asking him a question he could simply answer without saying something. You respected his quietness, maybe not even knowing that he could speak.

"What do I owe you?" you ask as you got your wallet out of your pocket. Grillby wanted to tell you that it was fine. He felt like he had to give something back to you, to make sure that he appreciated what he did for monsterkind. It might not be a lot to you, but the fire monster knew exactly how much it meant to every monster that had crossed your path. The last months were exhausting. TV News would only show the riots of humans against monsters, never about anything positive about the relationship between the species. He knew that seeing this was disappointing for everyone, and it drained hope. Not just the media did their best to put monsters in a bad position: often enough humans would make the effort to come here just to harrass monsters. He had to throw out more than one of them since he opened up his bar on the surface.

Having you here gave monsters hope again. You were solid proof that humans could be willing to live together peacefully, to restore better times. And he wanted to show you that he knew what you do, and that he appreciated it.  
But before he could shake his head in a firm manner you almost slammed your money on the counter. But you didn't seem to be mad at all. You just wanted to emphasize your point as you said "Don't you dare to say it's okay again. I know that tea and apple juice doesn't grow on trees. â€¦ Well, actually it does, but it still costs something. And I don't want to make Grillby's ruinous. So take whatever I owe you, will you?"

  
You looked like it would make you happier to pay your drinks than to take anything for free. Grillby hesitantly took the exact amount of your bill. Quickly you put a little more on the counter, and he looked up. "As a thanks, for the great service. I've never been treated so well before, really." You explained and smiled up to him. He nodded and took that money, too, still with a little stubborness. Of course it was nice that you gave him a tip - other humans who visited and ate here never did - but he still wished you would understand that you didn't had to when he said that it was okay.

You said goodbye to Sans and raised your hand to wave to Grillby, too, and he wiggled a little. He had the urge to hug you as a goodbye, but he knew that humans had a certain personal space. And he surely didn't want to invade that. Before he could decide what to do you started to leave his bar, waving and saying bye to the dog monsters on their table. They howled at you and told you that they hoped to see you again.

Grillby hoped this too. He watched as you left the room and walked down the streets. As you left his gaze he turned his attention back to Sans.  
"they're pretty awesome, huh?" he said, but he didn't seem to mean it in a dreamy and flirty way. It was a statement he made as a friend of you. Grillby nodded but then shrugged. Everyone had their dark secrets, some trait or another that was an imperfection. But that was okay, it really was. The most important thing was that you were friendly and cared for others. Sans seem to get what he meant, after all he was almost perfect at reading his silent messages.

  
"at least they're not one of those rude idiots that would come here." he said and meant a small group of young men and one woman who would come here. It was seldom, yet they came. And whenever they did came the atmosphere in the bar quickly became uncomfortable and annoying. The group was loud, laughed at stupid and perverted jokes and openly talked about the monsters inside the bar in a sarcastic and spiteful way. Sans did tell them more than once to shut up, and Grillby himself shot them more than one warning glare. He treated them with an unwelcoming heat, so hot that it bordered on pain for them. The humans simply scooted away from him.

But even if they were so rude and unpleasent, he couldn't throw them out. They didn't exactly cause trouble, they payed their bill and never attacked anyone physically. And throwing them out would only lead to more rumours about monsters not tolerating humans in their town.

  
Grillby nodded and agreed to what Sans had said. You were everything those idiots weren't, and he was happy to have you as his costumer. He hoped you would become a habitue too.  
Another few hours ticked by, and Grillby and Sans spoke about you a little. Sans delivered the content of the conversation you had with the dogs, hoping that he didn't cross any boundaries. But the skeleton figured that whatever you told him and the dog monsters, you would also tell Grillby, too.

  
The bartender was sad to hear that you had to live in a small place, and that you seemed to be kind of sensitive about the topic of family, which could mean that something bad happened once. He didn't like it. He wanted to know that you had friends and family who gave everything back that you gave to others: friendliness, helpfulness and a good feeling. The thought that you lived on your own somewhere you didn't feel comfortable made him bitter and sorrowful. But he couldn't do much.

  
Monsters were faster at accepting new friendships and were more willing to accept help from others. But Grillby knew that humans weren't like that. They needed time to gain trust to someone else, to take more steps of friendship: hugs, visits, gifts. Monsters easily did that on their own, always showing affection. Humans didn't. They flinched away if a stranger said hello. They freaked out if they received a random hug. Every physical touch needed a reason. You, too, were surprised when he had laid his hand on your shoulder.

Soon closing time approached, and after paying what they owned the dog monsters left, soon to be followed by other costumers. It was only Sans and Grillby now.

"so." the skeleton started, not caring to stand up. "tell me what exactly you think about _____."

  
And that Grillby did.

 


	7. Enough Is Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A group of humans decide to give Grillby's another visit. This time you were there, too.

You had to work the next day, and you growled when you woke up. You didn't want to. Instead you wanted to go over to Grillby's as soon as it opened and you wanted to chat with him again. Poker, drinks and friends sounded to much better than work. But you had to. So you crawled out of your bed, happy but at same time sad that you hadn't stayed longer at the bar. It had been hard to say goodbye to everyone after having such a great time with them.  
Especially with Grillby. Sure, he didn't talk, but he was an incredibly good listener. He made you feel as if your words were important, even if it were such a clichÃ© topic like movies. It was also kind of fun to decipher his motions so you could know what he wanted to tell you without words. You decided that after work you would go over there again.

But you didn't make it, and also couldn't go there the next day. Your working place was still located in the middle of the town, so you had to take the tram to the place. And it took forever to get there. The work itself was boring but also energy draining, so whenever you got home you had an inner conflict about wether to go to Grillby's or not. Your exhaustion won the argument most of the times and you only went to shower and then flop down into your bed.

  
After 3 days you finally decided to go there again, no matter what. You missed the establishment, you missed your new friends and a good game of poker that you could lose.  
And you missed Grillby a lot.  
So, even after a long day at work you went there and entered the bar. Before you could take another step you were startled by a loud howl of your name.

"_____!!!" the dogs shouted in union and waved at you in an excited way. You already felt better and happier. You waved back at them, took off your coat and quickly made your way to their table. Everyone's tail wiggled when you said hello to everyone and asked how everyone was doing. The bad feelings that had bottled up during working vanished completely. And you hadn't even said Hi to Grillby yet!  
You did it now, turning to the bar just to find that the fire monster was absent. Doggo noticed your confusion.

"A group of humans just came in a few minutes before you and ordered." He said and pointed towards a group of men. A young woman was the eye catcher of the group, like a white dot on a black piece of paper. You were so captivated by the joy of seeing your friends that you hadn't noticed them before.  
"Oh!" you made, happy to see that other humans had found this place, too. Of course you knew about it, since Doggo and Sans had told you so. But seeing humans visiting the bar yourself was something different.

Doggo noticed your joy and huffed loudly. You turned to him and asked him what was wrong with a tilt of your head. "I don't like them." he said and everyone agreed with a nod.  
"Oh..." you did now and your joy instantly faltered. Sure, you haven't talked to the group yet, but you trusted Doggo's judgement. "They come here and behave as if they own the place. They don't treat us well, they don't treat the place well, and they don't treat Grillby well." he grumbled while playing a card. The others didn't really care to respond to it right now. Instead they watched with uneasy eyes as Grillby entered the room.

You turned to greet him, but your smile instantly dropped when you saw in what state he was in. His flames were really low and dim, but flickered quickly in a stressful way. His arms were overladen with plates full of burgers and fries. As he arrived at the table you could hear a "Well, about time!" from one of the man, earning laughter that sounded incredibly annoying. Grillby didn't react at all and rushed back to the bar instead. On his way he noticed you, and it looked like he was relieved: His flames grew a bit bigger and brighter, the dark red vanishing a little.  
  
  
You quickly crossed the small space that was between the two of you. But when you stood in front of him you didn't know what to do. You felt sorry for him, sorry that the humans treated him in a bad way. After all it was the first time that you saw him stressed out by doing his job. It was also the first time to see him so... gloomy.  
You decided to put one of your hands on his shoulder, just like he had done the day you chatted with him. In an instant he shone brighter again, his fire flickering a little slower, showing some kind of contentment.  
"I am sorry that you have a hard time right now." you said and gave him a comforting smile. He nodded and showed you that he appreciated it that you cared. With a motion he showed that he had to go again, his flames dimming again. You nodded, shooting him a last smile for now before going back to the dog monsters.

  
Without having to ask they gave you a set of cards and began a new round for you. You felt flattered that they dropped a game for you so you could start with them.  
"Thank you for..."  
"... caring about Grillby..."  
"... so much." Dogaressa started, followed by Dogamy of course. You gave a slight shurg at this.  
"Grillby is a good person. He shouldn't be treated like that." you simply said. "I know it's not really my responsibility since we don't know each other for so long, but... I care about him. And about you guys. I feel like we're friends already..." You said hesitantly. You knew monsters were more open than humans, but you didn't know if they even wanted to be your friends at all. Maybe they were just friendly to a human to have a bigger chance at being integrated again.

But the monsters around the table quickly made clear that this wasn't why they were friendly to you.  
"But of course we are!" Doggo said. "Why wouldn't we be? We talked and played game with each other and you never made us feel uncomfortable around us. We're happy to call you our friend, _____. Never think otherwise, okay?"

  
You couldn't stop your smile even if you wanted to. You gave him a nod and thank him dearly.

  
But the emotional moment was interrupted by an enormous yell of "WHOA HEY!". You snapped around to see that the others humans had spotted you. You mumbled a "oh god please no" as they waved at you, seeing that you looked at them.  
  
  
"Heh, you, why not come over here!", one of the man said. He was about your age and had a tattoo on his arm. It was well visible and showed some kind of snake curling around a black rose.  
"I'd rather not, thank you." you said as neutral as possible and wanted to concentrate on the poker game again, but another shout ripped you out of it.  
"C'mon, don't be shy!" the same one said again, quickly followed by someone else of the group.  
"Yeah, we don't bite. You never know with these dogs, tho." He and his group chuckled, and the light giggle of the girl was standing out.  
"Nope, thanks, I am fine." You didn't even know why you answered these guys, but you didn't want that the situation escalated. You knew that igorance could lead to big problems.

 

"Nah, you're not." the man with the tattoo said. "You don't have to hang out with those. Come here, we got drinks and food!"  
You frowned as you saw that your friends' face looked hurt. Of course they were. Being described as 'those' wouldn't feel good at all.  
"'Those' are my friends. I'm fine." Your tone was harsher now and you didn't regret it. You were fine with someone insulting you, but as soon as someone even said one single bad word about your friends you were ready to get angry.  
"Bet you like sloppy kisses then, huh?" another member of the group said, earning laughter from his friends. "Well, we can provide those too, you know?"

A loud 'slam' could heard as Grillby had returned to the table of the human group and put the serving plate on the surface of it with a lot of force. The contents of the glasses spilled a little, thankfully only splashing on the serving plate and not his hands. You assumed that he was really stressed out and simply wanted to get his job done since he left immediately again.

  
"Gosh, what an idiot." you could hear one of the men say. "Can't even serve right."

You gave a sarcastic snort at this, remembering the time he had served you apple juice. Everyone in this bar knew perfectly well that Grillby could be a perfectionist if he wanted to.  
Unfortunately the humans noticed your snort and took it wrong. They probably thought you agreed with them since they called you over once again. You simply shook your head at it.

Even more unfortunate for you was that they all waddled over to your and the dog monsters' table now. Without asking they all planted themselves on the seats, sometimes pushing your friends away with their bodies. Dogamy even whined in pain and you asked if he was okay. He simply nodded.  
No one seemed happy to have other humans close to them. Not like when you arrived. You guessed that these vibes that souls sent were really bad with those ones.  
  
  
The other humans didn't seem to notice your glare. You didn't ask for them to come over. You didn't want them here. They were rude and loud and treated your friends badly. You tried to stay away from people like those.

 

The man with the tattoo on his arm sat next to you, giving you a grin full of slimey smugness. You bet it was his idea to come over your table. He then looked at the game of cards you were playing with the dogs.  
"Poker, hm?" he said as if he already knew the answer. He snatched your cards out of your hand, making a "Tsk" noise. "You have a really bad hand, sweetie."  
Sweetie? You almost snapped at this. You took your cards again, saying something like "I don't care what you think." You had no problem to tell the naked truth with someone who was acting like that towards you and your friends.  
"Think you can make a big turn, eh?" He just continued. Did he not get the hint? You assumed he was way too stupid to get it.

"Maybe." You cut it short. All of you didn't really play anymore anyways. All of the monsters were visibly uncomfortable around the human group. They gave each other helpless looks, not knowing what to do. They couldn't bark at them, you knew that. This group seemed like they would exaggerate a situation like this if they would talk about it. And of course they would. They seemed to be the type that gossiped about everything and everyone.

  
Suddenly you felt an arm around your shoulder. You stared at the tattooed man with wide eyes. "Sweets, don't you have a bae who teaches you how to play?" he asked, eyeing you with flirty eyes. You had the urge to puke.

"No. Now freak off." You said in a spiteful whisper. Finally he got the hint. Finally he noticed your glares. Finally he sensed that you didn't want anything from him or his friends.  
And finally he snapped.  
  
  
"What do you even mean by that, you ungrateful brat." he said, louder than a normal tone. "We were ready to keep you company while you have to sit through an awful poker game. _Those things_ didn't even taught you how to play!" He pointed at each and everyone of your friends who whined in dispair. It only fueled your rage.  
You were okay if he said you couldn't play. You were okay with him pointing out that you didn't have a special someone who could teach you stuff. But you were not okay with him calling your friends 'things'.  
  
  
"I don't freaking care what you say about me, but say one more bad thing about my friends and I will-"  
"You will what?" He didn't even let you finish. You would have told him what you would have done, but before you could answer him his grip around your neck tightened. "Don't do anything stupid, sweetie. Seems like your friends aren't ready to help you if things turn out to be bad... Oh right, I forgot. They cannot even. If they do they'll be trown back under the dirt."  
"Where they belong, if you ask me!" A friend of him added, and you shot him a glare full of hate. You felt like boiling inside. You trembled with anger that was raging inside of you. You wanted to yell at them so badly. Just as you opened your mouth and the first loud syllable left your mouth a harsh hand slammed on your lips. You yelped in shock and pain.  
  
  
"You don't want to be loud in public, don't you, gir-"  
Before he could even finish his sentence something incredibly loud could be heard. A thunder, a rumbling, a bang... A voice.  
  
  
**"Enough!"** this voice yelled, shouted and screamed. You couldn't turn around, but you heard heavy footsteps quickly approaching your table. And then there was Grillby, flames big and glowing in a fiery deep red. He grapped the upper arm of your harraser which hissed and then yelped in pain. You heard a slight sizzle sound. **"Leave my bar. Now."  
  
**

His voice was low and cold, but rumbling deep inside of you. You could feel his anger and fury from just hearing these few words.  
  
  
He let go of the human, and all of them quickly scattered out of the bar. The tattooed man yelled a "You'll be sorry for this!" while holding his arm. You could see that his shirt was burned, and the skin red. Then he left, running after his friends.

Only when he left you noticed that you had held your breath. You inhaled now and looked at Grillby. His fire was still burning in a deep and dark red, flickering high and quickly. His chest rose and fell quickly and his gaze was stuck on the door as if he had to make sure that none of the group entered again. But after a while he calmed down, you could tell by how his flame died down and the red lightened up a little. Orange colors returned to his face too, always a good sign.

But his flame was still very low when he turned to you, and he was dim as well. Without another word or gesture he turned back to go to his place behind the bar. You quickly stood up to follow him. He only noticed that you did after he was behind the bar.  
"Grillby, I-" he didn't let you finish. For the first time since you knew each other he interrupted you with a wave of his hand. And for the first time since a long while you had problems to understand him. Did he not wanted to talk about it? Was he still angry? Did speaking hurt him in some way or another?

Or was he disappointed in you that you hadn't done anything on your own? But you had tried! You tried to shoosh them away with directly telling them that they should go. And just when you wanted to speak up and make them leave they forcefully made you shut up.  
  
  
A silence fell upon the two of you that you didn't like. Grillby always was silent, of course, but this quietness felt uncomfortable and uneasy. You didn't know what to do, how to cheer him up. After a while you couldn't hold it anymore.  
"Thank you, Grillby." You said and gave him a smile with mixed feelings: thankfulness of course, sadness about him being like that, and hope. You hoped that you didn't hurt him in some way or another.

Grillby's head shot up to look at you. He seemed to be surprised and disbelieved what you just said. Or maybe he didn't hear you.  
"I wanted to thank your. For taking take of those idiots." You said again. His flames didn't change in color, flicker or anything, so he still had the same look on his face. "I-I mean, I tried to chase them away, but they were really persistend and when I tried to be clearer one of them held my mouth shut." You explained, hoping he would understand why you didn't help yourself. You lifted a hand to your mouth, still feeling the gross and hrash hand on your lips.

 

Now Grillby's expression changed. His fire flickered quickly, and indication that he was stressed. He stepped from behind the bar and quickly in front of you. He studied the area around your mouth. You were surprised when you heard his voice again.

  
  
"Are you hurt?" This time his voice was full of worry, but also warmth. It was deep but not unpleasent, and quiet, oh so quiet. It almost was a whisper.  
You were in awe. You hadn't heard anything like his voice before. It lulled you into a feeling of pleasent coziness, making you feel all warm and happy. It reminded you when he sent you his warmth through his look on your first evening here. The sound of his voice lingered in the air around you before you noticed that you hadn't answered yet.

You shook your head. "No, it's okay now." was all you could say. You were still in awe and surprise about hearing his voice. You so hoped he would say something again, anything. You just wanted to hear it again.  
Grillby eyed you a little more but then nodded. Unsure of what to do now you shifted your weigh from one feet to another. The whole situation felt very intimate, especially with him saying even more.  
  
  
"Do you need anything?" He asked in an important tone. You noticed a small motion towards you, but he soon stopped it. He didn't ask if you needed a drink or food, but asked if he could help you somehow to process the situation. You shook your head again.  
"I am fine." You know that you were giving him really short answers, but you were still in slight shock about the whole situation from earlier. And now you were incredibly happy and stunned that he spoke. Everything went so fast.

"... I am sorry." Grillby suddenly said and when you saw how quick his flame died down and dimmed you shifted closer to him, shaking your head in a denying matter.  
"No no, it's okay! It's not your fault that those were a bunch of a-holes." you quickly reassured him. And it really wasn't. He couldn't know that the situation would escalate like that. You yourself wouldn't have thought that those humans would that blatant.

Grillby shook his head slightly. Every single syllable he used seemed to be picked with a lot of care and many thoughts, as if he was afraid that one single letter out of his invisible mouth could be wrong. "I scared you. I am sorry for this." He explained, and his flames dimmed even more.  
  
  
You gave him a confused look, confused why he would think that. "No you didn't." you said. And it was the truth. Sure, you were surprised to hear him speak at all, and startled about how loud it was and how quick everything happened, but you always knew that monsters had a certain strength in them, especially wth the magic factor living in them. You respected this strength, never forgetting about it. But you never were afraid. You knew perfectly fine that Grillby would never hurt you, that no monster would do so willingly.

He stared at you for a second and you jumped a tiny little bit when his flames suddenly shot up. You never saw them grow this fast. But here he was, a shiny golden yellow plastered on his face. You sighed in relief, happy to understand what the cause of his sorrow was. He simply didn't want to scare you.  
"I was surprised, sure, but I wasn't afraid of you. I was more concerned about the human. Not about his well being, god no. But if he would attack you or something." You were glad that he didn't. You didn't doubt the power of Grillby's magic, but it would have been many against one.

  
You didn't think that his fire could grow bigger and burn brighter, but there he went. He then hold out his hand to you, and even if you were absolutely confused about why you took it.

"I think I never introduced myself properly." his voice mumbled in a sense of privacy and tenderness that gave you goosebumps. "My name is Grillby."  
  
You looked up at him with a warm and big smile, understanding the significance of the moment. You took his hand in yours, confident and firm but also gently, trying to reassure him that you felt no fear at all.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Grillby. I am _____."


	8. Tipsy Words

 

After that he fell silent again, but you didn't mind. You felt weirdly honored that he had talked to you at all, and you weren't angry that he decided to keep his quietness again. He asked you if you wanted to drink anything without words.

"After that day I could need something, yeah." You said and flopped down in front of the bar. First your work had been exhausting in a very unpleasently manner, and now this had happened. You just needed something to lift your inner warmth again. The intimity of the moment with Grillby made you all emotional and giddy, but your body was still lacking any kind of good feelings.  
  
Grillby nodded at you and stepped behind the bar, pointing at the several bottles on the shelf. You scanned them all and were a little overwhelmed. Most of the brand names didn't sound familiar at all, and you could barely discover some kind of wine. Then you remembered something.  
"Uh, maybe it's not good to have something strong while having an empty stomach..." you mumbled and laughed slighty. That would have been a big mistake, especially since you weren't used to a lot alcohol.  
  
Grillby seemed slightly shocked, too. He didn't want to make you drunk and feel bad. With gestures he asked if he could bring you any food.  
"I think I'll try the fries this time!" You cheered happily. It seemed to be contagious because the monsters fire shot up in response. He nodded eagerly and went to the kitchen to prepare your food.  
You took the chance while he was gone to slip off your stool and go to the dog monsters. They had given you worried looks the whole time but understood that you wanted to talk to Grillby for a moment. But as soon as you stepped up to them they all asked if you were okay, almost everyone at once. You nodded and told them that you were fine. A sigh of relief went around the table.  
"We're sorry that..."  
"... we didn't said anything." Dogamy and Dogarressa said, but you waved it off.  
"I understand that it's hard for you guys. If you only defend yourself the media will potray it as an act of violence and misery." Before anyone could add something you heard the door to the kitchen swing open, and you quickly told everyone that you would be back later and hurried back to the coutner.

Grillby gladly would have brought you your food to the dog monsters' table, but he was even happier to know that you would stay at the bar. He placed the basket of fries in front of you, together with a bottle of ketchup. It all looked and smelled delicious, unlike the thin and wobbly fries from certain other fast food chains.  
You thank him and complimented smell and look of the food, just like you did when you first came here. It only had been 4 or 5 days, but you already felt like you belong here, like a good habitue does. But you only had been here for three times, including this time, so you surely weren't one yet. Not like Sans.  
  
You found yourself talking about your job to Grillby, and he seemed very interested in what you had to tell. He rested his arms on the counter, crossing them and leaning on them. This made him be closer to you, but it was still comfortable. It seemed as if he did his best to not invade your personal space. You were thankful for that, but at the same time you had the weird urge to scoot closer.

Another thing changed. While you were talking he didn't just nod from time to time to show you that he was listening. He also made slight noises of approval or aversion whenever you grumbled about how you disliked the long way to your work. Soon you were telling anecdotes about different happenings that you experienced on your work, until you stopped in awe for a moment.  
  
He had chuckled, and it was such a wonderful sound that you instantly wanted to hear more of it. You continued your story and as it took an unexpected turn he chuckled once more. You felt your smile growing bigger with every deep rumble that came from him. It was low and quiet, but you clearly could hear it. You could see how his shoulders shook slightly when he did, and small sparks shot out of his flames and up to the ceiling. Yellow and Orange took over his face, almost making all the red disappear.

But you finished your story soon, way too soon. Your mind was racing, trying to find something to tell that would make him laugh again, but you couldn't think of anything right now. Instead you finished your fries and felt a whole lot better already. After Grillby put your empty basked away he leaned on the counter again, eager to hear your order for a drink.  
"I have absolutely no idea what I'll have. Like usualy, I guess." You snickered and earned a wonderful chuckled from Grillby.  
  
After a short moment he turned to the shelf behind him, picked a bottle and hold it up for you. Since you had only little experience with booze you weren't sure, but you trusted Grillby's professional experience and nodded. He put the bottle on the coutner, but quickly grabbed another and you easily knew what it was. Ginger Ale?  
Then he placed a long glass in front of you and poured the spirits into the glass, quickly followed by the refreshment drink, making it all sparkly. When he was done Grillby put back the bottles and gently pushed the glass towards you.  
  
"Thank you a lot." you said as you took it. You gave it small sniff, but you could barely smell the alcohol through the sweetness of the Ginger Ale. It was the same case with the taste: sweet, but slightly burning, but not too bad. It was refreshing and made your mouth tingle. "Mmh!" You made in approval as you put down the glass again. "That's really good!"

"Thank you." He spoke again, and this made you even happier. Sure, it was quiet, but he sounded confident and also slightly proud. You wanted to make sure that these feelings intensified.  
"How's that drink called?" you asked to keep him proud and happy. And you succeeded: his flames grew higher when he started to tell you about your order in a voice of eagerness.  
"It is a simple highball. An alcohol based drink topped up with a refreshment with carbonic acid." He sounded really professional and happy when he said this. It made you incredibly joyful and giddy. Or the alcohol was already kicking in.  
"Oh, that sounds cool! I really like the sweetness of the ale." You took another sip as if you wnated to emphasize what you just said. Grillby nodded and continued in a hushed voice.  
  
"You can also top it up with fizzy water or anything else, but traditionally they used Ginger Ale. Usually it is served on ice, but..." You could sense a smile in the flicker of his flames as he held up his hands and wiggled his fingers towards you. "... I might have a small problem with that stuff."  
You giggled into your glass and made an exaggerated "Daww" noise. Grillby didn't seem to have a problem with not being able to do anything with ice, so you didn't feel too bad about it either.  
"I still like my drink a lot, even without ice." You said truthfully and added: "It's too cold for that anyways."

"I could prepare you something warm next, if you like." He quickly responded. You noticed that the words came easier from him, faster, as if he didn't overthink every single word anymore. You were happy about this. It showed that he felt comfortable enough to do that.  
"Oh uh... we'll see how I manage that drink, first. I mean, I'm not really used to alcohol, you know... Sorry." You felt bad since Grillby seemed to be eager about mixing you a new drink. You didn't want to deny him an opportunity to do so. But he simply shook his head to show you that he wasn't disappointed.  
"How about a hot apple cider then? No alcohol." He suggested and you nodded eagerly.  
"Sounds perfect! But first let me finish this one treasure here." You giggled when you saw how bright he grew. Underneath his glasses you could see a hint of blue even. Was this a blush?

Before you could examine more he turned his gaze his hands and then quickly took rag and a glass to start to clean it. You giggled even more. Yep, there was the effect of alcohol. You had a really low alcohol tolerance.  
A comfortable silence fell upon the two of you, and you just enjoyed the moment. Grillby seemed to be fine with talking to you, and you still felt honored that he did. You couldn't stop smiling whenever his voice reached you, at least when it was so joyful and content. You loved seeing him being happy and you were surprised about this. After all you only knew him for some hours.

But after a moment of these positive thoughts something else crept up your mind.  
"Hey, Grillby..." you started with a mumble. He lifted his face to look at you, showing that he was listening. "What will happen now... I mean, the humans. They said you're going to be sorry for what you did, and I am kinda afraid."  
You knew they would go around the town and tell everyone what happened, but not in a truthful way. You bet they would exaggerate the whole situation, making it look like it was all the monsters fault. You didn't want that. You wanted that everyone left Grillby in peace.

The bartender simply shurgged his shoulders. It surprised you how he didn't care. Maybe he hadn't figured out the meaning of the whole situation. You leaned forward to give your words a bigger importance.  
"Grillby, they could call the police and tell them you attacked them. They could lie and make it look like you attacked them." You said. Grillby nodded, but then shrugged his shoulders again. You felt your jaw drop.

"I don't care." He said as an explanation. "If the police comes then I am ready for it. I have witnesses. I have proof." You blinked a little.  
"Proof?" Grillby nodded towards a corner of the room, and you turned to look in the direction he pointed. And there you saw it: A small camera, and the tiny red light blinking on it showed that it was turned on. You made a small "Oh!" sound at this and looked around more. You discovered two more cameras.

"I have proof." Grillby said again and in a voice that soothed you and calmed you down. You were glad that he was prepared for stuff like that.  
"I am so glad you do." you said and sighed in relief. "I still hope you're not in big trouble. If the police asks for witnesses, then tell me. I'll gladly tell them what those scumbags did to me."

He gave you a reassuring nod at this. Then he surprised you when he put his hand over yours.  
"Thank you, _____. I appreciate it." His fire flickered and turned a brighter shade of gold. You gave him a warm smile yourself.  
"Of course! No problem at all." You smiled up to him and hoped he would never let go of your hand. His was so warm and weirdly enough it felt soft. The two of you looked at each other for a moment until you felt a familiar warmth flooding your body. It was the same magic you felt on your first evening here, but it was still breathtaking. It made you feel safe and comfortable again. This time it was more intense than the first time, and you couldn't stop a giggle escaping your mouth. Maybe the alcohol intensified everything, that must be it. That's why your heart fluttered a little and that's why you felt so giddy.  
  
Grillby in return chuckled a little, sparks whirling around his head. You wanted to compliment him on this new little trick that you discovered, after all you haven't seen the sparks until this evening, but a costumer called him. It was Doggo, and he whined when Dogamy and Dogarressa scolded him in a playful manner. "Don't you..." "... interrupt them!" they said with a laugh.  
The bartender's face turned a slight shade of blue as he let go off your hand and hurried to Doggo. You yourself felt a blush creeping up your face. Only now did you think of how the whole position you and Grillby were in must look for others.

But you were sure it wasn't like that. You and the fire monster barely knew each other. You didn't even know if monsters could develope a crush on a human, and if a human could be crushing on a monster.  
But weren't you slightly doing this? You loved when he was happy, and you felt at home and joyful when you were around him. But this simply could be friendly sypathy, too, couldn't it? You weren't exactly a heart breaker, you knew that. So you didn't have much experience in that field.

You decided to observe your feelings more in the future. Right now you couldn't trust yourself with alcohol flowing through your veins, even if it was only a little. Just when you made this decision you heard everyone shout "SANS!" and you turned around, this time not as startled as before. You gave him a big wave when he saw you. After saying "hi" to everyone he waddled over to you, sitting down on the stool next to you

"heya _____, how ya doin'" he asked, shooting you one of his signature grins.  
"Grillby made me tipsy, it's all his fault, I swear." you said dramatically and slammed your hand on your chest to emphasize your swear. Sans snorted at this.  
"what did ya have, hm? hopefully not a fireball whisky:" You shook your head at his question.  
"It sounds awesome, tho." You mumbled as you looked into your empty glass. But you imagined that a whisky would knock you out instandly.  
"only for people who got more training with drinking, buddy. i don't think you are one of them, you got tipsy from one longdrink."  
"Let me know you that this" you held up your glass. "was a highball, my friend."  
"and a highball is a long drink, pal." Sans snickered as you lowered your glass, looking seemingly defeated.  
  
"Oh. How do you know?" Your voice was slightly sceptical. Sans could be lying just to seem smart!  
"i've been coming to grillby's for years now, i think i know my drinks." Sans leaned forward a little, interested to hear the answer to his next question. "how do you know?"  
"Grillby taught me!" you cheered. "He made it for me and explained what a highball is. But never mentioned it's also a long drink." The pout you had put in your lips vanished when you saw that Sans' eye sockets grew wide.

"he talked to you?" he asked in a tone that you couldn't really identify. Something with disbelief, joy, eagerness and also worry.  
"Uhm, yes, he did..." you answered, now being very serious again. "Is that bad?"  
"depends. how did you react? and how did he start to talk?"  
  
You told him the shortened version of what happened earlier with the humans. Sans seemed furious and mumbled something like "if only i have been here". But he calmed down when you got to the part where you and Grillby introduced themselves in this cute but intimate manner. Just when you came to the part where Grillby made you your drink said monster returned, greeting Sans with a nod.  
"don'tcha think you can greet me properly now?" the skeleton said with a wink towards him. Grillby shurgged but then spoke.  
"I don't see why not. Good evening, Sans." His voice had a playful tone and if he could he would wink back, you were sure about this.  
"_____ here told me about what happened earlier. sorry to hear that, grillbz." Sans rested his elbows on the counter, creating a small clacking sound. You followed him, both of you now leaning on the bar. Grillby saw that you had finished your drink, took the glass and put it away so he could clean it later.  
  
"How does the hot apple cider sound?" He asked in his hushed voice. You on the other hand were pretty loud when you exclaimed "Perfect!". His small chuckled could be heard as sparks flew out of his flames. As he started to prepare your new non-alcoholic drink you noticed Sans' stare on you. You turned around, frowning.  
"What's up?" you asked, but before he even could take a breath you said: "And don't you dare to say ''the celing''." and you pointed up.  
"aw dang, you got me." he said amused. "that's really ''roof'', buddy."  
"... That was a far stretch, but I appreciate the pun. So, what do you need?" You asked as your returned to watch Grillby preparing your drink. He was a over at the left side of the bar since glasses and refreshments were on that side of the bar. He was a little bit away from the two of you.

"nothin' much." Sans said. "just noticed how close you and grillz became while i was gone."  
When you turned to frown at him you could see that he wiggled his eyebrows again. You rolled your eyes.

"As if." you simply said, but then continued. "Me and Grillby knew each other for only a few days."  
"yeah, and?" Sans seemed truly confused. "if the magic is blooming between two individuals then time shouldn't be a factor at all."  
"If the magic is blooming? What does that mean?" You asked, admitting that you had absolutely no idea about magic at all. Sure, you knew the basics: that a monsters physicality was depending on the magic of it. That this power could be used to defend themselves. But since Sans told you that monster could sense if a human meant good or bad made you realize that magic was way more complicated than you thought.  
  
"uh, well..." Sans tried to find a good explanation. "basically it means that you both are sympathetic to each other." You frowned slightly at him.  
"But you are sympathetic to me as well." You said doubtingly. After all you considered Sans to be one of your friends now. You liked spending time with him, maybe not as much as you liked to be with Grillby, but still "Does that mean magic is blooming between us as well?"  
"oh gosh no, no no no. n-not that you aren't lovely and kind and whatnot, but no. no." he stuttered quickly. "i'm glad to have you as my friend, but not more than that, no."  
"So..." you made a conclusion. "magic blooming between people'' basically means them falling for each other?"  
The skeleton sighed in relief and nodded. "basically, yeah. it's a slow process, but i guess falling in love is, too."

You knew you had complicated feelings towards Grillby. You only knew that you loved spending time with him, no matter if he was quiet or if he used his handsome voice. But you didn't know if you had developed a crush or not. If you did then it would be pretty extreme: you only knew him for a short time, and he was a monster, a member of a species that you didn't even think of a few months ago. You barely knew any facts about him: Where he lived, what his hobbies were and so on.

"... N-nah..." you said and looked to Grillby himself. He was currently heating up the cup with your apple cider in it, using the same hand trick like the first time you saw it. "That's mostly impossible."  
"why?" Sans asked quickly to get an answer before Grillby returned.  
"What why? It's obvious." You said, and you surprised yourself with how defeated you sounded.

"He is a monster, and I am a human."

 


	9. Burning Questions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For some days you didn't visit Grillby's anymore, and he is filled with worry. But once you returned he had a burning question for you.

 

Before Sans could counter with words Grillby returned with a steamy cup. You smelled something like hot apple juice, but mixed with some spices. You took a sip and your eyes grew wide in awe.

"Oh man, Grillby, I thought nothing could top the drink before but this is delicious." You said and took another sip. Grillby bowed slightly.  
"Why thank you, _____. But it is simple apple juice with cinnamon and clove. Nothing special." he said silently, so only you and Sans could hear him. You gave the fire monster a big smile.  
"It's special for me! Next time when I'm cold I gonna have warm apple cider."

The bartender nodded and soon the three of you got captured in a conversation. You asked what Sans was doing for a living and he told you about his job as a hot dog seller. He told you that he had tried to open his booth closer to the middle of the town, but he got chased away quickly.

Grillby tried to listen to whatever Sans had to say, but he found himself enraptured in your presence. He couldn't deny it anymore, he was certainly feeling something for you. After you had told him that you didn't fear him for being loud and violent towards other humans he had found himself falling for you. It wasn't too intense. Yet. He knew that if you would keep up this wonderful manner he would be heads over heels for you soon.

It seems ages ago when he last felt like this. He felt so alive and joyful whenever he just looked at you, and that wasn't just because your soul sent these positive vibes. It was your behavior, your voice, your looks... Sure, you were a human, but he didn't care about that fact. Monsters came is such a big variety that the humanoid form was a very common sight. Even he had the shape of a human. And until now you were one of the prettiest human he had seen so far.

He could feel his core burn brighter whenever you talked. His flames shot up when you looked at him, always with a smile. He was so happy that he finally dared to talk to you. Usually he was afraid to do so at all, not until he knew perfectly well that the other wouldn't flinch away from his voice.  
But you didn't, not even after hearing his voice yell and being cold and bitter. Instead you even thanked him for using his voice to throw out those disgusting humans. And whenever he talked your eyes would lit up in this marvelous way, making your eye color shine brighter. He wasn't narcissistic, but he like how his flames were reflected in your eyes. The light he emmited overall made you look so warm and made every small detail visible to him.

He gave a short answer to a question that Sans gave him, but he barely paid attention to it because you quickly responded to his given answer. Just when he wanted to give you a throughtful respond to what you said you were being called over. The dog monsters wanted to play another round of poker with you, and you waved at them, saying that you will be there soon.  
"Well, time to lose again!" you said, but you didn't seem to be sad about this at all. You even seemed to be happy at the fact that the others would win.  
"I am sure you will win one day." Grillby said cheerfully, yet quiet. Sure, he was confident to talk to you and Sans, but he didn't want to scare anyone else. You gave him a small shrug.  
"We'll see! I'll call for you if you need anything."  
"Of course. I'll be there." He didn't know if you heard his last words since you already walked over to the dogs' table. They howled in excitement and gave you your cards.

  
Before Sans could even say anything Grillby admitted, so the skeleton couldn't tease him. "I already told you before that I find _____ charming. No need to insist on teasing me with it." he said calmly while taking a piece of cloth and a glass. He began to clean it with small motions, the familiar movements calming him down. He still could feel his fire burn bright, but he didn't mind. It was a nice feeling.  
"grillbz. buddy, it has been so long. of course i gotta tease ya." Sans said, just as quiet. He didn't want that anyone was eavesdropping. But even with being quiet his grin could be heard in his voice.  
Grillby groaned in dispair. "Why?"  
"'cause you see, _____ would be really good for ya." The skeleton answered. "they're not afraid of ya, kind towards monsters and also they love your place and your drinks."  
Grillby couldn't do anything else but nod at this. It all was true, and there was no use in denying it.  
After that it was quiet for a while, and Grillby was lost in thoughts. What Sans said might all be true, but he still had the feeling that he had to get to know you better before doing anything of importance. And he knew what that meant.  
  
"Should I ask them on a date?" He asked and was startled at the uncertainness if his voice. That's why he had to ask. He was afraid that you would find the idea of dating him bad. That you would freak out. And Sans' respond made him even more fearful.  
"eh... lemme be frank." He started with a sorry sounding voice. "me and _____ talked about you while you were making their drink. i told them that i saw how they looked at you and how you two were talkin' with each other. i asked why not give you a chance? well... they said that there was a problem."  
"What kind of problem?" Grillby found himself asking quicker than he liked to.  
"that you and them aren't the same species." Sans lifted his hand as to say 'i can't do anything about this'. "they said it would never work because you are a monster and they're a human."  
"But... that is..." 'idiotic' he wanted to say, but quickly bit that word down. Your feelings weren't stupid. You had a reason to think that. Mostly because you still weren't used to monsters enough. And he would respect that you needed time.  
  
But could he really change your view on this matter? After all, he was made out of an element that was seen as destructive in human opinions. He knew that the instictive reaction to an unexpected fire was panic. He even saw your widened eyes when you first saw him.  
But now you were so calm around him as if he was another human being. You didn't flinch away whenever his flames burst higher and brighter, you didn't even avoid him when he was loud and intimitating. And just like you did with every other monster, you accepted him.

Sans noticed that he seemed to be lost. He probably was pretty dim right now.  
"hey, doesn't mean they can't change their mind." he said in a comforting manner. "you're a good one, grillbz."  
"But this doesn't change the fact that I am inhuman." Grillby said. "It will makes things a lot harder if the magic between us both grows."  
"sure thing it does. but when did that stop you?"  
The bartender couldn't hold the slight chuckle that came out of his invisible mouth. "Right. I won't lose hope. We'll see how things develope."  
"that's the spirit!" the skeleton exclaimed and slammed his boney hand on the counter, creating a loud clacking sound. Grillby saw how you turned your head, grinning a little. Although it faltered a bit when you saw that his flames were a little dim. He quickly gave you a small wave, trying to make it look happy. You looked at him doubtingly for a moment before you turned back to your friends.

Sans saw the little situation and grinned even more. "see? they even got to learn your own little language pretty fast."  
"I noticed this too." Grillby picked up glass and rag again and begin to clean it more. He was still fascinated by the fact that you understood him so perfectly fine, as if you two weren't doing anything else than communicating.  
"and they wouldn't be able to do that if they're weren't somehow interested in you, grillz." the skeleton continued, and Grillby decided to agree. He had a point after all.

Maybe he had a chance. If he would just continue to be nice and attentive towards you, then maybe you could change your mind. Maybe you wouldn't see him as a monster anymore, but someone who could keep you safe, happy and content. He nodded to himself at this. That is what he wanted to do. And he would just keep trying.

And so he did for the next week, and the week after. And it was easy for him to stay kind and mindful towards you. You kept up your caring behaviour and befriended his other habitues as well: the bird monster whose seat was often occupied by you, but she didn't mind. She simply took the seat next to you and claimed it soon as her own. The two of you chatted in friendliness that soon filled the whole room.  
  
You had this effect. Whenever you began to act kind and caring towards monsters the whole room would vibrate in a positive way. Other monster saw that a human interacted with a monster as if they were talking to another friendly human. Of course, sometimes you still gave a big and scary looking monster a look of surprise and slight shock, but soon you just ignored the fact that it looked like it could stomp you with no effort whatsoever. Instead you greeted it and gave it a smile.

Grillby himself found him enraptured by your effect on monsters. He had hope that the two species could live together peacefully. That riots, protests and prejudices would fade away, so that monsters could live somewhere else than in the Monster District. He hoped that the term ''Monster District'' would vanish at all. And with you being around here now it seems that it was really possible, and that the two species had a good chance.

Grillby had been right about his guess that he had made days ago: he was desperately crushing on you. He could barely keep his hands near him whenever you sat in front of him. He wanted to take your hand like he did this one day, or put it on your shoulder to show how much he appreciated your manner. And sometimes he even did, and he loved every moment of it.

He had a feeling that the two of you grew even closer in those two weeks. You nearly came everyday, and since you sometimes didn't even order anything he knew it wasn't just for the food or drinks. To know this made him happy and burn brighter, but never hot. He never had a reason to raise his heat when you were here. Except this one unfortunate time with those humans. He was so furious when he saw that they were making you uncomfortable, and he could barely hold himself from burning the human who hurt you.

They did cause trouble, just like you predicted. But with his proof and with a few questions towards witnesses the police had to admit that the human group lied to them. The statements that the human gave were all wrong and muddled up. The ones from the monster witnesses on the other hand were clear and matched with the camera pictures. In the end the humans got a ban on entering the house and had to do some community work. Everyone was incredibly happy about this.

This whole procedure had been only a few days ago, but ever since the police had shown up you didn't come back. Grillby counted the days. Two.... Three... Four....

Four days without you visiting here. Of course, sometimes you didn't make it because you were too exhausted or had other things to do, and he understood that. But you never stayed away for this long, and he grew nervous. You two had never exchanged phone numbers, and he felt so stupid for this. If he had asked you for your number he could easily text you now, asking if you were alright and if you needed help with something.

The fifth day without you ended, and Grillby had to tell everyone to leave the bar since he was closing up. This day would have been the day before your workfree day, and you usuallly stayed longer on evenings like that. But now you weren't here at all, and Grillby felt his fire dying now. He felt cold and weaker than usual.

Sans, who was still sitting at the bar like he often would after closing time, saw this.  
"heh, don't worry, grillz." the skeleton said. "i am sure they'll come back."  
"You're saying this since three days, Sans." the bartender shot back, taking a rag and a glass and began to clean a glass that was perfectly fine. The familiar motions calmed him down a little.  
"and i bet i'm right one of these days." Sans said and leaned on the counter. "c'mon, what possibly could have happen to _____?"  
"Robbery, rape, an accident, kidnapping, stress, sickness... murder..." Grillby enumerated and gulped at the last one. To even think about it was horrible. The world couldn't affort to lose someone like you.

Sans was quiet for a moment. "c'mon, all of that is pretty unlikely. except the sickness thing. humans tend to get sick pretty easily."  
"That's not helping, Sans. What if they need help?" Grillby put down the glass and the piece of cloth to look at the skeleton. "They're here so often and try to avoid the topic about family. What if they have no one who could take care of them? What if they need medicine, or food and water?"  
"god, you sound like you're talking about a dog and not a human who can care for themselves." Sans said with a snicker. To him it was too good. Grillby, who hadn't been in love for ages, go all flustered and caring for a human.  
  
Not that he thought that it was wrong. Sans didn't have any problems with humans and monsters getting closer, and he knew that many others didn't think so, too. It was mostly humans who tried their best to seperate monsters, in every way possible. They would even deny the thing they romantasized the most: love. And even you knew this, like Sans had noticed. You were still trying to keep your distance towards Grillby, and it made him a little impatient.

"i am sure they know how to care for themselves." Sans continued to soothe Grillby. "they are grown up and probably have been sick a lot of times before. i think they know what to do."  
"But what if they're not sick. What if they're injured or had to move out?" Grillby had a lot of time to think about possible horrible things that could have happened to you. Reasons why you didn't visit anymore. And one of those reasons was the most terrible to think about. "What if they don't like it here anymore?"  
"c'mon grillbz, you and me both know that this is not possible at all. they love it here, they told you so many many times. they love the bar, they love the food and drinks, and heck, they even like you a lot."

Grillby's head shot up to look at Sans. He made a "woops" sound, but he didn't look sorry at all. "it's obvious, really. they always watch you and whenever you turn towards them their eyes get all googly and sparkly. and whenever you aren't close they speak so highly of you. i bet everyone in the bar knows what they feel for you, and how you feel for them. just..." he gave a slight groan at what he said next. "they're so stubborn!"

Grillby didn't really hear the last part. You talked highly of him? It meant that he was in your mind even if he wasn't there. This thought made him so joyful that he felt like soaring. He was so glad that he had decided to wait a little, because now it seems that the two of you were close enough for him to ask you out. There was just another problem.  
"Even if they... return my feelings."he started to get Sans' attention. "And even if I have the desire to ask them out... They're not here."  
"but they will!" Sans put his fist on the table, creating a typical clacking sound. "and when they are then you'll ask them out. no arguments."

Grillby couldn't help but smile at this. Sans always loved to be in the role of a wingman. He loved bringing people together and seeing them happy. He had a sense for who matched who, probably because he was always observant.  
"I will." the bartender promised and nodded. "I will..." he repeated for himself. Anxious thoughts crept up his mind. What if you said no and still thought that humans and monsters couldn't be together? What if you were like this to all your friends. He saw you laugh with your other friends, and you sometimes even playfully nudged them. You smiled to everyone who was friendly and crossed your path. Maybe your behavior towards him was just your normal way of treating a friend?

No matter what, he would still ask you. If you said no, then no one could blame him that he didn't try. He would respect your decision and would gladly accept you as a friend and not more. If you said yes, then he would make sure to show his affection towads you on the date.

And then you came back, two days after he had made the decision. It has been a week, but nontheless almost everyone shouted your name in excitement and joy when you entered. Grillby has been in the kitchen at this moment, but he nearly ran out when he heard your name. He felt his fire glow bright when he saw you. You weren't injured and you didn't look sordid. Under your eyes, however, was a little darkness, as if you didn't sleep well the last nights. It wasn't much and someone who didn't know you could easily miss this, but he saw it right away.

You waddled over to the bar, giving him a big smile. Grillby was glad to see that your smile was still the same: it wasn't sad, it wasn't false, it was just your normal wonderful smile.  
"Hello Grillby." You said, voice sounding a little hoarse. Instantly his flames faltered a little.  
"_____, are you alright?" he whispered and leaned forward. But when you nodded he already felt a little relieved.  
"Yeah, just a little bit ill." You croaked and sat down. "Stupid wet and cold winter weather got me good. But now I am better." you quickly added when you saw how Grillby's flames were filled with worry. "I just had to take a few days off."  
"I am glad to hear you're better now." the bartender said and took your hand in his. "I was worried. A lot."

You lifted your gaze to look him to where his eyes would be. Almost instantly his magic warmth filled you. "I am sorry that I worried you. I tried to get here, but I was so exhausted and so groggy that I fell back into my bed before I could even leave my house."  
"No no, don't be sorry. I understand." he quickly reassured you and squeezed your hand. "I just didn't know if anything worse happened to you, and I didn't have a chance to check on you."  
"Oh, right. You don't know where I live..." you mumbled.  
"And I do not have your phone number, too." Grillby added. That's when you started to rumage in your pockets and then held your phone up.  
"Better late than never!" You wanted to exclaim, but it turned into an awful croak. "Oh gosh, sorry."  
"Don't worry, dear. Just take care of your throat. Do you want any tea? Maybe it'll help a bit."  
  
You had looked at him in a weird way at this sentence, and Grillby wondered why. Until he noticed. "O-oh." He made, let go of your hand and leaned back. He could feel how his flames turned a shade of blue on his cheeks. Before he could say sorry you spoke up again.  
  
"Tea sounds great. Do you still have that orange tea?"  
Relief flooded through his body. He had thought you would scold him for using ''dear'' on you. Sure, you were surprised, but you didn't seem to be mad or angry with him.  
"Of course, coming right up." He said, cheerful again, and got a cup and some water. Careful like always, so he wouldn't spill anything on his hand, he poured some into the cup and then heated it up with his hands. When it was close to boiling he dunked the teabag into it. Grillby knew you always liked a little sugar, so he put some next to your cup.

"Ah... that feels good." you mumble after your first sip. You coughed only slightly before taking another sip. Grillby nodded with relief, glad to know that the tea helped to ease your sore throat.  
A while of nice silence fell upon the two of you. Grillby made sure that you got another tea after your first, and you thank him. Your voice was already a little better.  
The two of you exchanged phone numbers while you drank your tea a little. Your phone wasn't the newest and trendiest, but it fullfilled its duty.  
  
As you enjoyed your second cup of tea Grillby looked around in the bar for a moment. No one seemed to need anything, everyone was content. So he took the chance to lean towards you again like he usually did when he spoke with you in his hushed voice.  
"_____, I was thinking..." he started but stopped when you turned to him and looked at him. It took him a while to figure out what to say. For a long time since he started to talk to you he had troubles to decide how to say what he wanted to tell you. "I was wondering if you'd like to, well." He took your hand in his again and kept his gaze on it. Your hands were smaller than his, but this made them only fit perfectly together. In his eyes, anyways.

"I'd like to take you out to a date, _____." He said it, but couldn't look into your eyes to see your reaction. He rubbed his thumb over the back of your hand, trying to make some of the familiar motions of cleaning a glass. It soothed him a little.

You stayed silent for a moment that seemed to be an eternity. Grillby didn't register anything else than your voice when you said in a croaky way:  
  
"I'd actually like to. Yes."

 


	10. Dear

You were glad when you felt good enough again to go back to Grillby's. You had missed this place so much, and you felt like something pulled you back to Grillby himself. Maybe it was the fact that you indeed had developed a crush on him. And after knowing him for weeks you felt like it were true feelings and not just fascination about his form.  
Sure, he was a monster, a being made out of an element that usually would burn you as soon as you touched it. Not Grillby's fire, tho. It was friendly and only warm.

So when you returned you already felt a little better, especially when you were close to him. His warmth eased your muscles which were sore from only lying in bed. And hearing voice, even when filled with worry, made you smile, despite the small headache. You felt very guilty for being absent for so long, and that you had made him worry so much.  
As you drank your tea you wondered why he did care fror you so much. Sure, you had become a habitue at Grillby's, and you were one of his friends, you guessed. But he sincerely looked like he had thought about you more than once.

And when he had called you dear you felt your head spin a little, not just because you still were a little sick. He had said it so casually yet filled with so much affection. It made you feel special, somehow, and important to him. When he stiffened you knew that it wasn't his intentions, tho. He seemed to be embarrassed and sorry, so you quickly ignored it.

Until he asked you out with such a small voice that it would have been easy for you to miss if you wouldn't always listen whenever he spoke with you. You could hear an uncertainness in his voice that wasn't typical at all. It seems to mean a lot to him. But it also did for you: You could feel your heart skip a beat when you processed what he said.  
You had to force you to not jump in joy and shout a ''YES!". Instead you tightened the grip around your cup untily our knuckles were white, and you allowed yourself to grin like an idiot.

"I'd actually like to. Yes." You said and tried to sound calm, but you noticed how your voice shook with joy. Grillby's head shot up to look into your eyes, maybe trying to find a lie. But you never had lied to him, and you promised you wouldn't. He saw your big smile and instantly smiled back, visible by how his flames shot up, grew higher and brighter until he looked like a small sun.

"Really? Fantastic!" he said, and for the first time since he had yelled his voice was louder than usually. He ducked at this, surprised by himself. You gave a small giggle, sure that no one really cared. His voice was filled with happiness and also relief, a mixture that showed you how glad he was that you had said yes. And of course you would have! Over the last weeks your feelings for him only grew, the magic between both of you blooming more and more, how monsters would have said it. You were happy whenever he was, and sad when he was feeling down or exhausted. Whenever he was stressed because it was a busy day you wanted to jump from your seat and help him somehow.

One evening was one of the worst ever. It had been a few days before the police had shown up and before you became sick.  
Grillby's was almost flooding with customers, a large group of monsters that called themselves ''Temmie''. All of them. They talked - no, yelled - in a weird squeaky voice and an accent that you couldn't define. They looked like a mixture of cat and dog, with white fluffy fur.

Those little monsters always ordered one by one, never at the same time which would have been easier for poor Grillby. On this evening he was almost always running from Temmie to Temmie, trying to remember what they wanted since their orders were special, too. A bruger without onions but extra salad. Fries with no salt. Once you even heard a Temmie say "tem wants water with no h2o!". Grillby almost lost his nerves on that.

But when you asked if he could manage all of that he smiled and mumbled "Don't worry. The Temmies seem to be complicated, but they're all very sweet. They would stop as soon as I tell them that I need a break." He had taken your hand in his for a moment when he said "I can handle this."  
You nodded and trusted that he knew where his limits were.

Until he wanted to serve a normal water, with h2o, and tripped. It wasn't his fault since an excited Temmie, holding a boiled egg, ran in front of his feet. Grillby had caught himself, so he didn't fall, but the water spilled over his hands. A loud sizzling noise had reached your ears and you had jumped up from your seat, just like most of the other habitues of the bar. You've never seen him being hurt by water, only made the assumption that it would hurt him, but seeing how you were right was terrible.

Grillby had put the glass of water on the nearest table and rushed behind the counter, passing you on your way. He only nodded at your questions: "Are you okay? Can I help? Will you be fine?"

He had given you a dry and clean piece of cloth and held his hands out towards you. Where the water had hit his ember coated hand, a coal-like substance had formed. When you saw that some water driplets still ran down his hands, creating more black substance, you quickly, but gently, put the rag on the black areas. You could hear a small hiss coming from Grillby, but he quickly nodded reassuringly when you looked up.

As you did dry his hands the embers had taken over the dry areas again, like coal catching fire. Even when everything was coated in a glow you had continued to dry his hands, making sure that no piece of dark coal was to be seen. After a while he had taken your hands in his and had mumbled a "Thank you." towards you. You could only nod and ask if everything was alright. He had nodded back and told you that it was nothing but what would have been a scratch for humans.

When you remembered this evening you shuddered a little. It wasn't a nice memory, even if you did help back then. Seeing that he was wholesome now made you happy again. You just hoped that something like this would never happen again.  
"When should we go then?" Grillby said, quieter now that the first wave of joy was over. But you could tell that he was still incredibly cheerful and excited, but so were you. You couldn't stop your smile, and your cheeks began to hurt a little. It grew even wider when you saw how eager he was about the date.

"I don't know." you said. "I'm still a little sick, and I want to have all my energy. But I can't wait!" you added with a huge grin towards him. It only fueled his excitement. His flames flickered quickly, and if he wouldn't glow like a spotlight you would've thought that he was stressed. But with him shining like this you knew he wasn't.  
"I know, I can't either. But of course we will wait until you're feeling better. We have enough time, so don't worry." he spoke faster than normal and looked like he wanted to add more, reassuring even more that you shouldn't hurry, but a costumer called for him. He excused himself and went to the always drunk looking bunny monster. He took big steps and almost looked like he was bouncing. The flames on his head wafted after him, creating something that looked like a small floating river of fire that vanished after a moment of lingering in the air. You loved this sight.

After serving the monster he returned to the bar, again with bouncing and fast steps. You noticed that every habitue that looked at him had a big smile plastered on their face. It seemed like not only you noticed his joy.  
"We'll wait until you feel better first." he continued in his hushed but happy voice. "I don't want you to get sicker again."  
"Me neither, so that sounds like a good plan." Both of you nodded at the same time and then continued to chat. Grillby told you what had been happening in the bar while you were gone. It wasn't much, but you felt wonderful when you heard that the dog monsters had missed you dearly.  
"I think I'll go over to them for a moment, to tell them that I am alright and were I was." You said with a little guilt in your voice. As soon as you came in the bar you went to Grillby. Of course you had said hello to Doggo, Dogaressa, Dogamy and some other monster you hadn't seen before, but you didn't say much else.

"Of course, go do that, dear." There it was again. The ''dear'' lingered in the air and made you feel all giddy and special. You smiled up to him and gave him a small wave and a "I'll be back here!"

The dog monsters greeted you with a happy howl, like usual, followed by many questions about were you had been and if you were okay. You told them that you had been sick but felt better now. Soon they introduced you to the new dog monster and called him Lesser Dog.  
He only panted at you, but he smiled. His tongue hung out of his mouth and his tail was wagging fast. "He um... cannot talk." Doggo explained for him.

"That's alright!" you just said and held your hand out towards him. "It's great to meet you, Lesser Dog. I'm _____." He put his paw in yours like a dog always did when they did the Shaking Trick, unlike the other dog monsters who gave you their hand in a ''normal'', a human-like way. You shook the paw nontheless for a moment before turning back to Doggo.  
"His insticts are stronger than ours and his magic a little weaker. Which means... uh..."  
  
"He is..."  
"... more animal than..."  
"... monster." Dogarressa and Dogamy explained what Doggo wouldn't say.

Ah. This would explain why Lesser Dog started to lick your cheek. You laughed for a moment and gently pushed him away, giving him a pat on the head. It only made him more excited.  
"I see! I am still glad he's here, tho." You said and smiled to the newcomer.  
"We weren't sure if we should bring him here while you are here." Doggo said, but then gasped in worry at his words. "Th-that doesn't mean we thought you would be mean to him! It's just..."  
"We thought you..."  
"... would think lesser of..."  
"... monsters if you would see that..."  
"... some are more animals than monster." Once again, the married dogs were brave enough to say what Doggo didn't. You shook your head at this.

"I could never think bad of you guys. Especially not if you all are so nice and friendly!" You said as Lesser Dog snuggled closer to you. You gave him a good scratch behind the ear and he exhaled happily. The other dogs seemed to be very relieved at the sight.

Soon they asked if you wanted to play poker with them, but you denied. You didn't want to think too much today since you still had a small pain pounding in your head. But you watched and were surprised that Lesser Dog had a certain talent at this game. He barked and howled when he won, then leaned towards you to receive his pat on the head from you. After two rounds you told them you would go back to the bar, and everyone was okay with it. But Doggo stopped you for a moment.  
  
"Say... what did you do to old Grillbz to make him that happy?" He said with a huge but friendly grin. You felt how your cheeks grew warmer.  
"Um. Well." you started, not sure if you could say it or not. It could be possible that Grillby wanted to keep it a secret. But you didn't exactly know why, so you went ahead to tell them. "He asked me on a date and..."  
"Finally!" Doggo howled and threw his cards in the air. Lesser Dog growled since the round - that he would have won again - was over now.  
"F-finally?" You asked, unsure what he meant with that.  
"All of us were wondering when the two of you would finally get to the next step. And finally it happened!"  
"But me and Grillby, we don't know each other for that long yet..." You mumbled. Doggo rolled his eyes.  
"You humans and your ''but we need to wait'' problem. If the magic blooms, then why not go for it? I am so happy you two finally did." He then leaned his elbows on the table, so he leaned forward, too. "You make Grillbz really happy. It had been ages since we last saw him like that. Just look at him!"

You turned around slightly to see the bartender. His flames were flickering brightly, almost only orange and yeelow could be seen. And when you looked closely you could see a hint of blue on his cheeks. While cleaning a glass he was slightly swaying from side to side, following the silent tune of the music box. You felt yourself smiling at this happy sight.

You turned back to the dog monsters, and Dogarressa and Dogamy said: "We were wondering why..."  
"... he was so happy and excited."  
"Now we know." and they smiled at you.  
"I am glad he is." You said. "I just hope I don't fail the date..."

After all, this was a possibility. You haven't been on many dates before, but all of them ended with a cold goodbye or you going earlier than planned. But then again, those dates weren't really pleasent at all. Maybe a date with a monster would be so?

You then stood up and went back to Grillby. When he saw that you were on your way his flames burst a little in excitement and joy for a moment. When you sat down he almost immediately leaned forward to talk with you.  
"I was wondering what we could do together." he mumbled, and his voice almost drowned in the eager crackles of his fire. "Have you heard of this restaurant in the next district? I heard good things about it. Would you like to visit it?"

You couldn't help but giggle at his eagerness, and he gave you a small chuckle in return. But when you thought for a moment about his suggestion your smiled faltered a bit.  
"Isn't it a human restaurant?" you asked, worried to go there now. It sounded nice, of course, you and him sitting together with good food in a nice enviremont, but you would never accompy him to a place where he would be harrassed.  
"Yes, it is." he admitted but quickly added: "But several guests here have been visiting it a while ago and they said they were treated perfectly fine."  
"Oh!" You said with relief. "Then sure. I think we can always leave if they get rude."  
"Good idea."

You two planned a little more, always in an excited voice. You were just so happy to have the possibility to spend even more time with Grillby now. Of course, his bar was a wonderful place and you loved it here, but it sometimes got annoying that you both got interrupted by his work. Costumers called for him, he had food and drinks to prepare, and if a stranger sat too close to the two of you Grillby wouldn't say a word. The last problem wan't really one, since you could even communicate perfect fine when he wasn't saying anything.

Dinner time went by, and you got a delicious burger from Grillby. Another thing you missed: there may only have been 2 meals on the menu, but those really were the best you evern had, just like Sans had promised you when you first came here. Since you knew you could order special burgers you always asked for extra bacon and more sauce, and Grillby happily prepared it this way. Although he had asked "Shouldn't you eat something healthy now" he brought you your burger after you said "There's salad on it!" with a giggle.

Usually you would go after eating, so you could prepare for work the next day. This time you stayed, earning a confused look by Grillby. "The doctor said I should take off from work till next week. So I got no work the next two days." you explained.  
"Well, take the extra time to sleep more." He said as he leaned forward, worry in his voice.  
"I slept for like, a whole week." you groaned. "I'm not tired. Also I think my muscles are all sore from the lying. It's not good for humans to stay immobile for so long and-" before you could finish your sentence you felt his warm hands on your shoulders. He sometimes did that, but only with one hand. He also never rubbed them slightly in circles, but now you didn't mind. Instead you closed your eyes and enjoyed the small massage he was giving you. His hands grew only a tiny bit warmer, making your muscles relax in return. You exhaled happily and relieved.

"Is that alright?" he asked, his voice almost whispering.  
"Mh-hm..." you made, anjoying the intimity of the momet. "This really helps."  
"And my hands? Are they too warm?" He sounded very worried about this and stopped doing circles on your shoulders. You quickly shook your head, and his hands begon to move again.  
"Nuh-uh. Perfect." And it really was. His hands were warmer than a human's, of course, but only had the temperature of a hot cup of coffee. You caught yourself thinking that you easily could get used to that, especially since he just had heated them up. Usually he wasn't that warm, and whenever he took your hand in his you never had the urge to push it away. It was never too hot.

Soon, way too soon, he took his hands off of your shoulders. You rolled them a little before smiling up to him.  
"Thank you, Grillby. I feel better already." You said truthfully.  
"Of course, dear, don't worry about it." You smiled even more when he used the pet name again. He always said it with affection and joy. Just when he stopped talking a costumer called for him with a hesitant sounding voice. "I'll be right back." Grillby muttered, kind of annoyed. It looked like not only you didn't liked to be interrupted.

On his way back you saw that Sans entered the room, taking in the usual shout of his name. You usually joined, but when you tried now you only croaked, then coughed. Grillby hurried to you to put one of his hands on your back, making soothing circles. You felt how it heated up once again, only enough to make your back all warm. Soon your coughing fit was over and you thanked him.  
"Take care of your throat, dear." He mumbled and stepped behind the counter when you nodded. In the meantime Sans had reached his seat.  
"i knew i was breathtaking, but no need to die for me." he said as a greeting and grinned at you. "and ''dear''? sheez, i'm gone for the day and the two of you start without me. what did i miss?"

Grillby's cheek became a small hint of blue as he looked down, fire crackling loudly. Your own face felt a tad warmer when you said: "Grillby asked me on a date."  
"and you better have said yes or i gonna scream till ya do." The grinning skeleton looked like he was already taking a deep breath before you were able to say anything.  
"O-of course I did!" You said and raised your hands in a calming manner. "We just wait until I feel a bit better."

The skeleton exhaled - fortunately without a scream - and his grin grew even wider. Until it faltered a small bit.  
"sorry to hear that you had been sick, buddy." he said. "me and grillbz were worried. especially grillbz." he added as he pointed to the fire monster, whose face took a deeper shade of blue.  
"... I will prepare your food." He simply said before going to the kitchen. Sans couldn't hold a chuckle.

"Don't tease him." you said, but you snickered yourself. It made you kind of glad that you had an effect like this on someone. On him.  
"neh, i gotta." Sans simply said. "it's been a while since he acted like this towards someone. so i gotta! now's my chance!"  
"Well, as long as it's not insulting I guess it's fine."

You shouldn't have said that. You could see Sans' light in his eyesockets grow wider in happiness.  
"oh boy, what a time to be alive." He mumbled with a big grin, looking forward to a future filled with teasing, puns and jokes.  
"Aren't you undead?" You said with a small giggle. He tilted his head.  
"isn't that the same like bein' alive?"  
"Nah. Nevermind. Human culture thing."

Grillby returned with a burger and the usual bottle of ketchup, but also with something too familiar with you. "Apple cider!" you wanted to exclaim, but quickly remembered what Grillby asked of you and lowered your voice. He nodded and put the mug in front of you.  
"I figured this would ease your throat a little more." he said and gently pushed it towards you more, as if he couldn't wait that you felt better. But you couldn't either. You just wanted to go out with him already, wanted to spent as much time as possible with him.  
"Thank you so much." you mumbled and took a large sip. It was a perfect temperature, like always, so it never burnt your throat.

Grillby seemed to know how to control his heat perfectly fine. He was never too hot around you, but you had witnessed what he could do. He could easily burn through clothe and singe skin. You were sure he could also set fire to wood or other materials, but you never asked him to show you. It felt rude, kind of.

"so." Sans began after he had finished his burger and the bottle of ketchup, too. "what are ya two doin' for your date?"  
You told him what Grillby had suggested earlier, and you noticed how excited and cheerful your voice sounded. You also noticed how intensly Grillby was listening to you, but you didn't mind at all. You did the same whenever he spoke, anyways.

"hey, that sounds pretty good." the skeleton said. "hope you guys have fun! but get better first, _____."  
"Of course." you said and added: "But I can't wait!"

 


	11. Magic Is Blooming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this extremely long chapter you finally go on a date with Grillby!

 

It took you only three more days to get better. Maybe it was the fact that you took extra good care of yourself, maybe it was Grillby's warmth, or the eagerness to get on that date. It didn't really matter. You were fit as a fiddle again, and when you told Grillby he was more than happy. His fire shot up, glad to hear that you were feeling better and that the two of you finally could decide when to go to the restaurant.

"How about Monday?" He asked you as he serve you your apple cider. It had been increcibly cold outside, the winter doing its best to keep up a chilly weather.  
Monday was the only day of the week when Grillby's was closed. You felt honored that he wanted to spent his only day off with you, and you nodded.  
"I can ask one of my co-workers if I can switch my free day with theirs!" You said and explained that it would be no problem. The co-worker you were talking about was really understanding and they surely would agree to work on their free day. You would then work on your usual day off, so they could take their day then.

"Then it is settled. Where and when should I pick you up?" You couldn't help but smile at his eagerness. But even if he was very excited, he never pushed you. He never hurried you to tell him when you felt better. Instead he was very patient and cared for you. Often enough he had laid a hand on your shoulders to warm them a little. He served you tea and hot apple cider and made sure that you always had everything you needed.

You could barely comprehend how you deserved such special treatment. Sure, you slowly understood that you were somewhat of a beacon of hope for monsters. A symbol and reminder that not all humans were racist and repulsive, and that friendships between the two species could work.  
  
And maybe even more.  
  
No longer did the fact that Grillby was a monster scare you away from the idea of being closer to him. You found yourself enraptured by his looks: his broad jchin that would split into long flames at one point of his jaw, and the swirling colors of yellow, orange and red deep inside his flames. His hands were big, bigger than yours at least, but smooth and soft and warm. He was tall, so tall that you only reached his chin with your nose, so you had to look up to him when he was close.  
  
And you always wanted to be close to him. His warmth would engolf you, and you loved to hear the silent crackling of his fire.

  
So you were very happy when Monday came, but also slightly stressed. He said he would pick you up at 11am, at your place, so the two of you had the whole day together. You would go to the restaurant to have lunch there and then go to a museum that monsters had opened two months ago. You only had mentioned that you wanted to go there, but never found the time to walk all the way over there. You were surprised that Grillby remembered and took the opportunity to accompy you there.

You woke up at 8am this day, maybe way too early, but you wanted to be prepared. You showered and then blew your hair dry to make it all floofy and shiny. But then a big question remained: What to wear?

You never had seen Grillby in anything else than his bartender uniform: a white shirt with a dark vest over it, complimented by a bowtie in the same color together with black trousers and always well polished dark shoes. But you guessed he would also look very well in anything else.  
So you wanted to do the same and took out your favorite outfit. It always showed as who you identified as. Who you were. And you felt very comfortable with wearing it. You couldn't remember if you had worn it to Grillby's once already, but you didn't care that much. If he asked you about it - which was very unlikely - then you would just explain that you were very comfy with wearing it. He surely would understand.

After you put the clothes on you went to the mirror to apply only a tiny little bit make-up. Then you combed your hair once more before checking time. 10am, still plenty of time. You went to your bed and sat on it for a moment before throwing your self onto your back. You were excited, you could tell how your heart was fluttering, but also nervous. What if he would think that the two of you didn't fit together? What if he found it weird to be with a human like this in public. Actually, shouldn't you be the one to think like that?  
But it was hard for you. You liked the idea of showing everyone that you didn't care that he was a monster. You didn't care if the two of you were different species.  
To you, monsters were just humans, only functioning in a different way and looking differently. But everything else was the same. They had feelings, culture, science, families and friends. And so much more. Nothing to be afraid of, nothing to flinch away. Which was why you didn't mind the differencies.

But would Grillby? He never showed any signs that he was bothered by the fact that you were a human. But something else came to your mind, and you remembered that dreadful evening when Grillby got hurt by some water. A big part of your life was made out of this element: you had to drink to keep your body healthy. You used water to keep you clean. Heck, most of your body was made out of water! What if a kiss would be hurtful for him?

If all of this dating thing would lead to something bigger - which you secretely hoped for - then how would you manage that? You guessed you could keep a safety distance. You surely wouldn't like it since all you wanted to do was to get closer to him and his warmth, but his health was more important to you.

Just when you thought about this you heard the doorbell. You jumped up and sprinted to the door and pressed the buzzer, so Grillby could open the main door of the house. You opened your apartment door and could already see the typical flicker of his fire shining in the hall. When he came in sight you felt your breath hitch for a moment.

He was wearing nothing special, as it seems. But for you it was. A white shirt was almost hidden underneath a dark and grey pullover, only the colar and the end of the sleeves were peaking out from beneath it. Instead of the formal black trousers he wore simple dark blue jeans now, together with comfy looking shoes. You were glad that he choose a comfortable outfit, just like you. And he still looked stunning.

You didn't know what thoughts raced through his mind when he stopped for a second as he saw you. Maybe he knew the outfit already. Dang it. As he came closer again you noticed that his left hand was hidden behind his back. He didn't even didn't show it when he held out his right hand so you could put yours in his.  
"Good day, _____." he said before he lifted your hands. And before you could respond something he pressed his invisble mouth on the back of your hand.

You felt lips. They weren't visible, but you certainly felt them. Soft and warm they pressed on your skin, and you felt a pleasent shiver running up your spine. You also felt the huge blush and smile appearing on your face.  
"Hello Grillby." You said, your voice a little shaky from excitement and from how flattered you were. No one ever had done this gesture, and if it would have been anyone else you would have thought it was ridiculous. But this hand kiss did fit to Grillby's personality, and you felt your heart beat even faster.

Seeing how well you responded to the kiss made him burn brighter. When he let go of your hand he finally revealed his left arm, and in his hand he held a small bouquet of flowers. You were already stunned by the kiss on your hand, but now you felt your knees wobble a little.  
"Oh gosh..." you mumbled, feeling your cheeks turn an even bigger shade of red. "You shouldn't..."  
"But I wanted to." He simply answered. He truly was a gentleman.

You quickly waved him inside after he gave the flowers to you. It wasn't a big bouquet, but you still felt honored and special. He stepped inside your small flat and looked around for a small moment while you were getting a vase for the flowers. You wanted to cherish them for as long as possible. After you put them on your only table you got your coat.

"I'm ready to go!" You said and closed the door behind the two of you as you stepped out again. Almost immediately after you stepped out on the street you felt something warm touch your hand. You eagerly grabbed it, maybe to quickly. Grillby gave a small chuckle as he interwined his fingers with yours.

If you wouldn't have walked so closely to Grillby then you surely would have notice the coldness. The other monsters were shivering and covered in huge and fluffy coats. It was even snowing a little bit, but too much. Your companion kept you warm tho, and the other monster sometimes gave you a look of jealousy for having someone who could keep you warm in this weather.

You didn't talk while you walked to the restaurant in the next district, but you didn't mind at all. You were used to his quietness, and since his flames flickered brightly and high you knew that he was content as well. As you watched him a little you noticed something else: he held his head higher than normal, flames burning higher when someone greeted the two of you. Overall he seemed very happy to be with you right now. And you were very joyful to have him on your side.

Sooner or later you reached the restaurant. It looked rather fancy, and you had no idea how you would pay the bill. Even if you split it with Grillby then your wallet could still groan in emptiness if it could. As you entered the receptionist gasped at the sight of Grillby, but only for a second. Then he put on his business smile and asked if you had booked. The monster next to you nodded and pulled out a small card out of his pockets.

"Ah, Mister Flareson. We're glad you and your lovely companion are here. Please, follow me to your seats." the man said in a polite tone and lead you to a table for two. You were stunned at the dining room a little. It was big, and many table and seats were occupied. Big curtains hung in front of the windows, and on the walls were mirrors and paintings. You felt underdressed, but when you looked at the other guests you quickly noticed others in casual wear, too. This made you feel a little better.

Your coat were being taken care of before you sat down in front of Grillby. You gave him a smile, but noticed how nervous it must have been. Now that the date had officially started you felt uneasy, still afraid to ruin it somehow. You knew Grillby had looked forward to it so much, and you didn't want to disappoint him.  
Just as you took a deep breath to calm yourself down you felt his hand grabbing yours.

"Are you alright?" He asked, worried. You were surprised that he spoke up in an enviremont full of strangers. That was very unlikely from him and showed how much he cared for you.  
"Yeah, only... slightly..." You didn't want to worry him more, and since you trusted Grillby a lot you told him your fear. "I'm afraid that I'll ruin the day for you. Don't get me wrong, I'm so glad to be here with you, and I loved the gestures you've done for me, but I never give anything back..." you mumble, and before the waiter could even give you the menu cards you spoke about something bigger than just the date. "You do all these lovingly things for me, like doing special drinks and orders in your bar, and you would bring me flowers and pick me up at my small apartment. And I never give anything back, you know?" you were talking fast and shaky, but you couldn't stop yourself.

Grillby was listening patiently and rubbed small circles on your hand with his thumb.  
"You don't have to give anything back." He said in his low and hushed voice when he was sure that you had said everything you wanted to say. "Just be yourself. That is enough. I do these gestures because I like you, and because that is who I am. I do ot try to buy your company, dear. If I gave you this feeling, then I am very sorry. I didn't mean to."

You quickly shook your head. "N-no! That's not it. I'm just... I don't know."  
"It's alright. Just know that I'm very glad to be here with you, and I am sure we will have a fantastic date."  
He quickly stopped talking when the waitress arrived, but gave her a nod as a thanks. The two of you were silent as you studied the cards.

Your eyes grew wide when you saw the prices. You were so used to Grillby's very affordable food that you were overwhelmed by the variety of the food and the high prices. You were glad that you hid behind the card since you were sure that your face was a grimace of anxiety and disbelief. The menu's sounded delicious, that was for sure, but the price weren't.  
So you quickly decided to eat a simple small salad, even by the fact that your stomach screamed for a steak.

As the two of you put down the cards Grillby asked you what you would have. You told him about your small order and you saw his flames dim.  
"Do you not like the food here? We can still go somewhere else." He said. But you denied that.  
"No no, the food sounds great! It's just... really expensive."

You didn't know why, but he gave a small chuckle at this. He took your hand in his again, a gesture that you began to love. "Don't worry about the prices, dear. I'll pay of course."  
You had feared he would say something like that and shook your head. You knew Grillby was generous, but that was too much. You could never think of any possibility to pay anything of this back As if he had read your mind he said "Don't worry, please. I would be very happy to do this for you." and he said it as if he had to give you something back when he already gave so much. But, then again, if this was what he wanted then who were you to deny it? You certainly didn't want to start a fight.

"O-okay... but if I should give anything, too, then tell me?" You asked of him, and he couldn't do more then nod since the waitress returned. Grillby pointed at what he wanted and you were brave enough to order the steak that you craved for. You noticed how his flames shone even brighter at this, happy to see that you followed his request.

Soon he could talk again and asked you if you looked forward to visit the museum.  
"I do!" you answered cheerful. "I can't wait to see more of monster culture and history. And now that you're going with me it will be even better. You could answer some questions that I might get, and I bet that I do, since I can be pretty simple minded." You giggled a little to show that you weren't bothered at this fact. But sometimes it was kinda hard for you to get some things.  
  
"You're not simple minded." He said, almost whispered. "But I will gladly try to give you good answers if you do have questions. Just... I wanted to tell you something before we go there." He seemed to struggle, trying to find words. You were patient and told him that.  
"Whatever it is, I'll understand." You said and squeezed his aÂ´hand for a moment. He turned a brighter shade of yellow and nodded.  
"Of course you will." He said, more to himself than to you, and he sounded completely dreamy and affectionally. He turned to you again. "In our history we may potray some humans as... well. As the bad guys." He mumbled and looked down again. "Monsters are still bitter over the fact that they sealed us away for more than 700 years. And some of parts of our culture isn't afraid to show this bitterness. Especially the artistic part..."

You had figured this out, too. You have heard the story of how monsters and humans had a war, and how the humans had won. They chased every monster they could find to Mount Ebott, just to seal them away. You've heard that every other monster that didn't got capture got killed.

So you nodded and told him that you knew. "I'm prepared to hear, read and see bad stuff about humans. To be fair, our history isn't much different." He faced you again, a questioning flicker visible in his fire. "Well... you see. Even without monsters humans got into wars. A lot of wars."  
"But... why?" he asked, very confused now.  
"Many things, to be honest. Mostly power. Money. Religions. And so on."

Grillby faced away again, thinking about what you have said. You felt slight panic grow in your chest. Maybe you shouldn't discriminate the species he was dating right now. But before you could panic more he turned back to you.

"This might be true, I believe what you tell me. But I know there are good humans out there, just like you. There were good humans during The War. They helped monsters and humans alike, never forgetting about the times before the war."  
You were glad to hear this. To hear that Grillby didn't think any less of you, and that he believe that there were good people out there, because there were. It was just sometimes hard to see them.

The waitress came back, this time with your food. It smelled and looked great, and both of you started. Then you remembered that you have never seen grillby eat, and you couldn't stop yourself from looking.  
He looked a little lost when he noticed that you watched him and slowly lowered his fork that already has been on its way to his invisible mouth. You didn't want him to feel bad so you quickly apologized.  
  
"It's okay, do not worry." He said and gave you a reassuringly flicker with his flames. Then he looked down again, not sure if he could say the next part or not. He decided to yes, he could, since it was you that was sitting in front of him. "It's just... There is a reason as to why I always hide my mouth. I don't want to scare you, dear."  
"You could never scare me." You quickly responded. You didn't have to think about this, after all. "Surprise me? Yes. Make me startled for a second? That too. But you could never scare me, Grillby."

He nodded, but his flames were a little dim. Then something happened under his glasses.  
Suddenly, where his mouth should be there appeared one.The fire parted, and he gave you a shy smile but wide enough for you to see his teeth. They were pointy, but the ends were rounded so he didn't look too menacing. His lips looked like they were made of lava, even flwoing a little and creating small swirls.  
"Whoa..." you made, but not fearful. You were fascinated at this new sight. You leaned forward a little to get a closer look. At this his smile grew wider, showing more white teeth. You instictively returned the smile when you leaned back.  
  
"So you aren't freaked out?" He asked, and his mouth moved with every word. You shook your head.  
"No, just surprised! I didn't know you could do that." You said and realized you still had so much to learn. You discovered new things of him almost every day, even if it only was a new way how his fire could flicker. You've learned to read so many emotions in his fire: Happiness, hope, anger, shyness, annoyance, surprise. And those did split into other emotions. And so on.

And now you discovered that he had a visible mouth, including teeth and a tongue that also looked like it made out of lava. After knowing that you wouldn't be scared by this sight he happily began to ate. You did too and soon you were complimenting the taste.  
"But I do like your special burger more." You admitted, silently, so the other guests wouldn't hear you. Grillby blushed and chuckled, sending small sparks into the air.

You could hear an older woman gasp in fear nearby, and you quickly turned to see what was wrong. When you saw that she was staring rudely to you and Grillby you felt your teeth grit. The staff of the restaurant may be nice towards monsters, but it seemed that the guests weren't. As you look around more you saw many people stare at you, all of them showing negative thoughts.

You gulped and look down on your plate. You felt a tight knot replacing the fluttering butterflies in your stomach, and you couldn't eat one more bite. Grillby, attentive how he was, noticed this instantly.  
"Don't worry about these idiots." he mumbled, put down his cutlery to take one of your hands in his. "We don't know them, and they don't know us. Let them think what they want."  
"You're right." You said after taking a deep breath. "If they want to critize two people having fun, then it's their fault."

He gave you a big smile, now visible thanks to his mouth, and he nodded. "Exactly."  
You both enjoyed your meal and a good chat after this, and you successfully ignored the other guests. You wouldn't let idiotic people ruin your wonderful date.

After both of you had finished the waitress came back and asked if you wanted anything else. Grillby gave you a questioning look, his mouth invisible again, but you shook your head. So he shook his head too, and the waitress said that she would bring the bill. Grillby rumaged in his pockets to find his small wallet.

"And you're sure you don't want to split?" You asked, and he shook his head again, the fire burning bright and creating a small "fwoosh" sound. The waitress returned with the bill. You didn't see what Grillby had to pay, but from how the waitress smiled he must have given her a huge tip.

"Thank you kind sir! I hope you and your partner will have a great day." She said, and before you could correct her that you and Grillby weren't a couple she walked away to the next table. The fire monster only chuckled as he stood and and helped you out of your chair. The receptionist brought you your coat and wished you a good day. You did the same, and Grillby gave him a friendly nod.

As you left the building you noticed that Grillby was still silently chuckling to himself. You could tell by how his shoulders shook and how sparks flew around his head. When he noticed that you didn't know what was so amusing to him he leaned towards you to talk to you.  
"I just find it funny how people see us as a couple." He said, seemingly happy about this. You found it weird that people made assumptions without having solid proof, so you couldn't laugh with him.  
At this his chuckle stopped, and he looked at you with a tilted head. You felt somehow guilty when you saw that he was worried and kind of sad. "Do you find the idea of us looking like a couple bad?"

You didn't answer right away. Showing affection to him in private was one thing. Showing these things in public were everyone could watch was something else. You had seen the looks on the faces of the other guests in the restaurant. They were spiteful, disbelieving and begrudging.  
But you remembered what Grillby had said to you. You didn't know these people. And you didn't want to get to know them if they were judging you for dating a monster. All that mattered was that you wanted to be with Grillby, maybe even more than being friends if he wanted to. So you shook your head.

"No, I actually like the idea. Of us. Being a-... being together." You said quietly, not sure if he would be offended by this or not.  
You were even more afraid when he stopped walking, and you stopped too. It was confusing that his flames were flicklering bright and high since you expected him to be angry or disappointed. After a moment of just looking at each other his face became a shade of blue and he closed the small gap that had been created when the two of you stopped walking.

"I wanted to do this later. But now I cannot wait anymore." He whispered as he got even closer. With an idea of what he meant your face grew hot and red. So he wasn't angry or disappointed at all, the opposite actually.  
"... Why wait...?" You asked, just as quiet as him. The blue colored flames on his cheeks spread more, and his flames went higher.

You could feel your heart flutter when he took one last step, his chest touching yours. His warmth seeped out from underneath his clothes, and since there were no scents of food or drinks you were able to smell him clearly. His scent was aromatic, like clean and dry wood slowly burning in a fireplace. You could smell a hint of smoke, but it was pleasent, and you could make out a hint the alcohol from the drinks he handled almost everyday. You really liked his smell.

It only itensified when he leaned down, his mouth visible again, and you moved up to meet him halfway. Sparks flew around your heads as your lips finally met.

You felt warmth flooding your body, the same magic that you would feel when he made eye contact with you. Only this time it was more intense than ever before. His lips were soft and warm, warmer than his hand. All that your senses noticed were his presence and his lips on your.  
His lips... on yours. His lips made out of fire on your lips that probably were wet.

With a tiny shriek of worry you pushed him away from you, but then immediately got back and eyed his lips. There was no black and coal-like substance to be seen, but you made sure. You took the sleeve of your coat in your hand and rubbed over his lips in an attempt to dry any wetness that could cause him pain.

Grillby's fire was dim in a hurt and confused way. He was propably hurt that you had pushed him away from you while he was enjoying the kiss, but also very confused as to what the heck was going on. After a moment he asked.

"_____, what is wrong? Did I do something?" He asked, voice shaking a little. He was so worried and confused that he didn't even care to lower it.  
"No no, of course not, but does it hurt?" You asked and took your sleeve away from his mouth, checking it again.

"What should hurt? My lips? My chest?" he asked. You had pushed him away from you by pushing him on the chest. But you had done so gently, and you knew Grillby could take way more than that.  
"Your lips! I am sorry, I should have thought of it."  
"Don't play the pronoun game and tell me what's wrong." He said, firmly, and took his hands in yours. You looked up to him.  
"My lips, they are... wet. A-and overall... I have so much water in me, everywhere, and I don't want to hurt you and..." You trailed of as you could hear Grillby's chuckled, louder than ever before. It sounded relieved and joyful, something you wouldn't expect at all.

"My dear..." he said, still slightly chuckling. "Don't worry about this. Say, did you got burned by my lips?"  
"What? No! But that's not the point. Your magic, it keeps you from burning too hot, so it doesn't hurt me!" You said, showing that you kinda knew how this worked.  
"Exactly." He just said and wanted to lean towards you again, but you scooted away a little.  
"But I don't have that!" You said. "I can't protect you by magic stuff."  
"No, but magic can protect myself. At least from anything that is coming from you. I thought you knew this." He mumbled and looked you in your eyes. You could feel the warm magic racing through you. "Do you feel this?". You could only nod and smile a little bit. "It is what is keeping us being hurt from each other. I could heat up my hands until they could melt steel while holding yours and you still wouldn't be hurt. You could spit me in my face-"  
"I would _never_ do that!" You quickly exclaimed, and Grillby only chuckled once more.  
"I know, dear, I know. But you could, and it wouldn't hurt me, not like water usually does. You see, the magic that had been blooming between us keeps us from being hurt from each other."

You took a moment to comprehend what he said. No matter what, your the water in your body couldn't hurt him. It sounded gross, but it made sure that he couldn't be hurt by you. A wave of relief flooded your body. You knew it still meant that he could be hurt by water from anything else but you, but at least you weren't a source of danger for him.

Grillby saw your relief and pulled you closer. He wrapped his left arm around your waist to do so, and you happily followed his lead.  
"I am sorry that I scared you like this. I didn't mean to push you away." You mumbled as you laid your head on his chest. You could feel that he shook his head, his chin slightly rubbing in the top of your head.  
"I am flattered that you worry so much about me." He said and lifted your head to look at him. "Just know that I worry about you, too. But you can never hurt me as long as you don't want to, and I cannot do the same."

You nodded, but then move up. Grillby understood what you wanted and happily leaned down, his fire burning a bright yellow as he kissed you once more.

 


	12. Hellfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Grillby find a painting in the museum that he doesn't find nice at all.

 

You and Grillby stood there on the sidewalk for what seemed to be a small eternity. If it wasn't for Grillby then you surely would have been cold by now, but all you felt was warmth. Warmth coming from the outside and the inside. You bet you could've been standing at the north pole and you still would be warm with him.

But you still were in the human district, and a rude call dragged you both out of your dreamy mood.  
"C'mon, let's go to the museum." Grillby whispered in your ear, his warm breath creating a tickling sensation. You nodded, so overall giddy and happy that you didn't even thought about the rude human twice. Grillby wrapped his arm around your wasit again and you did the same to him. Holding each other like this made your side press against each other, and you loved it. You couldn't stop smiling even if you wanted to. When you looked to your side you could see that Grillby's fire was almost burning white, and it wafted behind him again, leaving a trail that was following the two of you. You could also see white sparks flying around. It looked beautiful.

Soon you reached the monster district again, and you sighed in relief. No longer were the looks you got disgusted or confused. Almost every monster that crossed your path seemed to be incredibly happy to see the two of you like this. In a fit of happiness Grillby swung you around so you almost clashed to his front, and he gave you a long kiss. You tried to keep yourself from giggling, but you couldn't stop yourself. So you giggled on his lips, and he gave a deep chuckle in response. You could hear happy Ooohs and Aaahs coming from the other monsters, and you had to push Grillby gently away from you, saying "If we continue like this then the museum will be closed before we get there!". You didn't mind to show affection towards him while being in the Monster District, but you didn't really like it to be the main attraction of the street. Grillby on the other head seemed to enjoy the positive reactions of the small audience. He nuzzled his face into your cheek.

"I wouldn't mind." he mumbled and gave it a small kiss. You chuckled slightly, still feeling way to giddy to stop yourself.  
You were so happy that you and Grillby were on a date, and that it was going so well. Both of you had immense fun, and you finally got closer. You were amazed that you could make Grillby so happy as well. He on the other hand did the same to you. He made you feel giddy and warm, made you think you were special and important to him. When you were around him you had the feeling that you could manage every small problem that you have. He gave you a feeling of power, of happiness and easiness.

You continued your way to the museum, but sometimes one of you would stop and kiss the other. While walking you two exchanged small touches: A rub on the back, a squeeze of the hand, a small peck on the cheek. And you loved giving those: When you were so close to his face you could make out every single tiny swirl of his fire. And something else.

You didn't stare, but hidden behind his glasses were eyes. At least you thought so. You could only see something bright in the shape of eyes, seemingly made out of what looked like molten and white glowing iron. You weren't sure, but his pupils looked like pieces of lava dropped in this white glow. You wanted to see more of them, but you would never push him. He would show you once he was comfortable enough to do so.

Later than sooner you reached the museum. The way there took at least twice as long since you two fooled around a lot. But then you stood in front of it, an old looking building with a huge and heavy looking door. You entered and were greeted by a receptionist, a monster that looked like a dragon. He took care of your coat and gave you your tickets. As you wanted to pay the monster shook his head, telling you that it was for free. You thanked him, and Grillby gave him a thankful nod before you two continued.

  
The building was quiet and almost empty. Only a few monsters were visiting, and surprisingly enough a small group of elderly men and women. They seemed to be amazed by the scultpures, painting and ancient text, but so were you.

  
It was amazing, the monster culture. Every piece of art was made of so many deatails that one single look couldn't catch it all. Sometimes Grillby told you something about the piece of art if he knew something, and usually he did.  
"This was created right after the seal closed." he mumbled into your ear and showed a big painting. Only dark colors were used and it showed a scene where humans in heavy armor chased monsters into a cave. Humans with weapons were riding on wild horses, and the monsters were running from them, most of them not armed at all. The scenery gave you a feeling of dread and sadness. Grillby, who saw this, quickly pulled you over to a statue. It showed a monster you hadn't seen before, but it looked beautiful. It lips were open as if it sang an unheard song,

"Who's that?" You asked and took a closer look. It was some kind of mermaid, her hair thick and it had two large spikes coming out of its chest.  
"Shyren. A monster that likes to inspire Waterfall with her hums and sad songs." he whispered. You nodded and looked at the statue a little more. Grillby continued to talk a little. "Sometimes I went over there to listen."  
"But isn't Waterfall all wet?" You asked, afraid that he had hurt himself. He nodded, but quickly assured you that he never got hurt.  
"I took care of myself, don't worry." He said and looked with you at the statue. Soon you asked to go and see the other statues, too. He nodded, cheerful and happy that he could answer your questions.

  
There were hundreds of well crafted tableware, usually made out of rare materials.  
"We had a lot of this stuff in the underground." he said and meant those materials. "And a lot of time in our hands. To not get bored we used the ores and created something out of it. Those are dishes that the King had used for a while." he said and pointed to a wonderful looking set of plates, glasses and cutlery.  
"His name is Asgore, right?" You said, trying to remember form what you have heard in conversations and the news. Grillby nodded as you went along. To be quite fair, cutlery and tableware didn't interest you too much. You were more focused on the paintings and the sculptures. The fire monster noticed this, observant how he always was, and pulled you along gently.  
"Yes. Asgore Dreemurr. He always has been there for us, even when times were bitter and hopeless, always trying his best to free us. Always kind and helpful. Sadly he is quite busy now, trying to solve new problems." He told you as you came to stop in front of a potray of said king. And truly, he looked very kind and nice. But you noticed that the style of how the picture was drawn was familiar to you. Dark colors, a poetic pose, dramatic lights.

  
"This picture kinda looks like the one were the monsters were chased to the cave." You said, stepping a little closer, but never too close. You respected the rules in a museum, and just because this was one for monsters didn't mean you would forget those.  
"That's because it's from the same artist. He sadly isn't with us anymore." He said quietly and stepped next to you, wrapping his arm around your waist once more. You frowned slightly.

  
"You said that the picture with the chasing was made a little after you guys got sealed away..." You mumbled, and Grillby nodded. "But, that means the king is..."  
"Over 700 years old, yes. 914, to be exact. He was quite young when The War started." You gasped in shock a little when Grillby told you that, and he quickly looked at you. You looked back, wondering what was on his mind.  
"That's really... wow." You muttered and looked up to the picture again. "914 years... that's a long time..."  
"Even longer if you spend most of it underground..." Grillby mumbled in return.  
"How can he be that old? He looks rather young. Is it another magic thing?" You asked, and Grillby confirmed your assumption.  
"Some monsters do not age until they are very old, or until they are tired of live. If they think that they do not have a reason to live anymore, if they think they've seen everything there is to be seen, then they begin to age. Our king looks older than he should. He had to go through hard times, times when everyone thought that we would be stuck underground forever." He whispered this in your ears, and you could hear a sad tone. You instantly felt sad, too. It takes a lot to think that there is no reason to live anymore. That life didn't hold any more surprises. You were sad that the king had times were he aged.

"I'm sorry to hear that..." You said quietly and looked back to the painting before moving to the next. It showed a monster similar to Asgore, a goat like creature that had gentle eyes. You made an Oooh sound at the painting since the monster was very pretty. Her fur was a spotless white, and the ears framed her face beautifully.  
"The queen, Toriel Dreemurr." grillby explained before you could ask, his voice immediately sounding warmer and more gentle. "She gave hope to the king when even he was hopeless. They both ruled over the underground with a gentle hand. But they were also very consequent if someone broke the law. It wasn't like we all lived in chaos."  
"Of course not." You agreed and looked at the pretty queen for a little longer. "Is she helping the king now?"  
"Yes. But Asgore and Toriel aren't together anymore." Grillby mumbled and quickly explained when he saw your questioning look on your face. "Asgore had done something that could be avoided. We didn't know that we could collect the humans souls in a different way..." He trailed off as if he was ashamed to admit that.

You knew he was talking about how Asgore had to kill six humans in order to collect the human souls. The news went nuts over this, potraying him in a way that was most negative. But what was done was done, and since he was loved by his followers you knew that he was a good person.

After a while you continued and soon reached a room full of paintings. The first to catch your eye was a huge and long picture, drawn in more brighter colors, mostly because there were houses on fire in the scene. You stepped closer but suddenly felt a strong tug at your waist. You turned to saw Grillby stopping, his flames so dim that the orange in his fire was barely visible. Something was wrong, very wrong.  
"Grillby, what's the matter?" You asked, panic and worry flooding through you. You turned so you would stand in front of him, but it was as if he was looking through you.  
"I told them not to... I said to... Why did they...?" he was mumbling under his breath and shook his head a little, still looking forward. You turned to see what he was looking at but only saw the painting.

Â 

Until you saw it, too.

In the middle of the inferno on the picture there was a being made out of flames. It was wearing a dark armor and something similar to a cape, but was more like a rope. The creature looked over the scenery as if it was normal sight to it. You could see other monsters looking up to as if they waited for his command.  
You would have recognized the monster everywhere.  
  
You turned back to Grillby, only to notice that he trembled. His flames were small and dim, only a shade of dark red. You gently pulled him along and out of the room. Of course you were more curious since you had no idea what it all meant, but the only thing that mattered to you right now was that Grillby was incredibly uncomfortable, scared even. You held him closely to you as you left the room with the paintings, returning to the room with tableware and cutlery. You spotted a bench and lead Grillyb there, pulling him down to sit with you for a moment.

  
His fire was still dim, and he looked down to the ground, avoiding your eyes. You gently lifted his face and he followed your lead.

  
"Hey." You simply said and gave him a smile. Grillby's fire didn't change, no hint of a smile or anything else that was positive. It seemed that not only you had a past that you didn't really like to talk about. And since you knew how it felt if someone pushed you to do so you decided to never push him to tell you anything he wanted to say. You lifted your hands to cup his cheeks in them, rubbing small circles over them. "It's okay. We can simply forget that we saw this."

  
Grillby just nodded. "I told them to take it down." He whispered as if he couldn't believe that it was still there. You didn't know why he continued, but you listened to him when he did: "I told them that no one should see it. They told me they would do that. I didn't know they lied to me. I didn't want you to see it."  
He then grabbed your shoulders in a way that bordered on desperate. "I didn't want to do it! But there was no other option. The King - he asked me to and I - Please understand that I would never - I had no choice." When he began to stutter and to tremble again you embarced him, pressing him close to you. You could only asume what the painting meant.  
It meant that he was just as old as the king, Asgore. And that he had to fight in the war, probably still feeling guilty that he had to do so. Telling from the picture he burned down villages, and with that, humans. You could only imagine how he felt about it, especially now that he dated one of them.

  
"It's alright. It's so long ago, Grillby." You whispered to him and rubbed his back in a soothing manner. "You had no choice. And now you're so generous and wonderful. Those awful times are over. You never have to do something like this ever again. I promise." You began to mumble more to him since you noticed how he calmed down. He nodded the whole time, and after a while you noticed that his fire was back to normal. The orange and yellow colors returned, and the flames flickered higher again. But even then you stayed close to him, hugging him until he moved away by himself. He looked into your eyes and sent his warm magic through you.

"Thank you." He whispered, his voice full of affection and warmth. You gave him a smile. hen you didn't answer him more than that he cupped your cheeks, just like you had done with him before, and he spoke on a tone that sounded more serious and important: "Thank you."  
"No need to thank me..." You mumbled. Of course you were still curious about if your assumptions were correct, but his feelings were more important to you. For you this was only logical and something that shouldn't be thanked for.  
"It means a lot to me." He said and gave your forehead a small kiss. It seemed to make him happier. "You are not afraid of me, even after seeing this horrible scene..."  
"As I said before. You're so kind and wonderful now." You moved a little forward as he pressed another kiss on your forehead to emphasize your words. "I could never be afraid of you. So never worry about this, alright?" He just nodded, his face nudging on your head.

  
You two stayed like this for a while until Grillby stood up an dragged you with him. As soon as you noticed that he was going back to the picture room you stopped him, asking what he was doing.  
"I feel better now. Let's see the paintings." He simply said and gently pulled you towards the big picture where he could be seen. This time he seemed more confident, and his fire didn't die down like before. It was quite the opposite, his flams shone brightly.  
"Are you really sure about this? We can go if you want. I think we missed some goblets back in the last room..." You said, but he was still going to the picture. When you two stood in front of it you could see more details. There weren't any humans to be seen, only grillby in his armor and the other monsters looking up to him. They were standing in front of what seemed to be many burning houses, the flames reaching into the dark sky.

You didn't dare to ask anything and just held Grillby's hand close to you. He was glaring at the painting, but then turned to you. When he saw that you still weren't afraid of him he began to spoke.  
"They called me Hellfire." He said. "The humans, I mean. When I came they usually ran, except when they were in big numbers." His voice had almost no tone to it, as if he was telling simple facts and not his own history. "I didn't want to fight them... but monsters had tried everything to fix the issues with peace. Humans attacked, and we had to defend ourself."  
You nodded at this and squeezed his hand. "Of course you had to." You almost whispered in compassion. Grillby reacted very positively at your response. His flames flickered a little higher. He looked at you for a moment before turning back to the picture.

"But even with having many monsters to help with fighting, we still lost. I barely remember how they sealed us away... I was pretty injured when it happened and-"  
"You were hurt?!" You asked, louder than you wanted. This time Grillby was the one who squeezed your hand.  
"I was. Another reason why we lost. But I am all better now, no permanent injuries except a little scar on my leg. I am okay, and ever since that unfortunate day I never have been badly injured." He said, moved by your worry. But the thought of him being so hurt that he couldn't remember something made you still a little anxious. You looked back at the painting, this time eyeing the other monsters. Grilby noticed this.

  
"I was a... general." he said and sounded like he was embarrassed by this. "I lead a battalion of 600 monsters to the final fight. I wasn't able to save them all in the end..." and his flames died down again at this. You pressed yourself closer to him, and he wrapped his arm around your shoulder.  
"But I bet you tried your best. I know it. You don't even have to confirm that." Hearing your voice filled with a pout and a certainness that he couldn't fight, he immediately burned brighter again.  
"I'll do it anyways. I was able to call most of them back before anything too bad happened." He said in a hushed tone. You were proud that he had done so much good during such bad times, and you told him so. He seemed a little overwhelmed, but you were happy when you saw that his flames were bright and flickered high.

  
Soon you left the painting and began to look at the others, soon just as happy as you two had been before. The only thing you noticed was that he held you closer to him. He tried to never break contact with you, and more than often you caught him looking at you than the paintings. You teased him a little about this, and he chuckled. You were glad that the small moment of panic and sadness was over, and when you passed the painting again on your way out neither of you payed it any attention.

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**Main source of the idea and inspiration for Grillby being a war veteran is tumblr user[Zoruui](http://zoruui.tumblr.com/), with their picture of [ltcol!Grillby ](http://ask-grillby.tumblr.com/post/134550151500/so-ive-been-thinking-about-ltcolgrillby)**

 


	13. A Small Child

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two of you meet a couple and a child, but only shortly. After that you hurry to have dinner.

 

Grillby and you continued to walk around in the museum, and there was a lot to see. It seemed that monsters were eager to show their history to the humans, but sadly the humans didn't care too much. You on ther other hand did, and you read carefully the ancient writings that were chiseled into stone. Reading the part that said " _But this cursed place has no entrances or exits. There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever._ _"_ made you tremble a small bit. You could feel the hopelessness of the monsters in these written words, and you felt a cold and unpleasent chill running down your spine, making you shiver slightly.

Grillby noticed this and rubbed your back soothingly. "It's alright." he whispered in your ear. "It's over."  
"I am glad it is." you mumbled and tried to imagine how it was to spend most of your life underground. With no sky, no sun, no fresh air. "I'm glad you're here now."  
He chuckled slightly and pulled you closer. "I am too." he said and gently pulled you along to show you the other glyphs. You came to stop by a big symbol, carved that you already knew. It was the glyph that symbolized montserkind, at least the three triangles that were part of it.

 

_"_ Hey, Grillby?" you spoke up to ask a question. He leaned towards you to show that he was listening. "What does the circle with the wings mean again? I know about the triangles, but I forgot what the upper part means."  
"Oh... well." he started but hesitated. But then he continued. "Younger monsters think it is the angel. A legend that has been created while monsters were trapped underground. They said that the one who had seen the surface would come and free the monsters. But as hope faded away many believed it would be an angel of death. Emptying the underground by killing everyone." he mumbled the whole story into your ear.

 

You were so glad that you knew that this wasn't the case. As much as you knew the one who freed every monster was a human child, and they did so by breaking the barrier. You still didn't know how, or how a little kid was able to do so. But they also were the current ambassador of the monsters, and they did a good job. Well, they had the big help of the king and the queen, but their pouty face whenever someone said "No" surely played a big part.

"I am glad your angel was an adorable lil' kid." you said with a small giggle as you continued to go through the hall. You would soon reach the end of the museum, ending your little tour through monster history.  
"Oh, Frisk is more than just a little child." Grillby said and seemed to be excited to talk about them. "They are kind hearted and innocent. Sure, they are a little childish - how it should be if you're a small child - but they know what is the best for everyone. And they try their best to achieve that."  
"I would never doubt that." you agreed as you reached the exit of the museum. You and Grillby stopped for a moment.

 

"Dear, what do you think of dinner?" He asked you as he gave you a small peck on your forehead. Since you and him had stayed for quite a while at the museum you nodded. "And would you like to have dinner with me? We could go to my apartment. I have something prepared. But you don't have to say yes. We can go and find another restaurant. Or a bar even." he said with a small chuckle. "It surely would be nice to be the one to order, and not the one who takes orders."

You snickered a little bit at that, too, but shook your head. "I wouldn't want to visit another bar with you. I would groan and ask 'Can't you make the drinks?' since there is no better bartender than you!" You snickered even more at him as he blushed. Then you had a wonderful idea. "You know what you are?"  
"What am I?" he asked back, slightly confused. But when you grinned at him his fire burned higher.  
"A bartinder!" you exclaimed and threw your arms in the air. Sans would have been proud of you, truly. Grillby on the other hand only groaned, but sounded amused.  
"Now you're starting with this, too." he said quietly and tried to sound annoyed, but his bright flames revealed that he was in a good mood. You were happy at this, so happy that he didn't think of bad times anymore. So you threw your hands around his neck, pressing him closely to you.

 

He laughed silently at this and wrapped his arms around your waist.  
"What's up with the sudden hug?" he asked, still chuckling. You just shrugged your shoulders.  
"You deserve it! Also! Dinner at yours sounds great!" you giggled at his jaw before you let go of him again.

 

But before you could go out of the museum you heard fast footsteps. A small but strangely familiar child began to ran up to Grillby with a big smile plastered on their face. He took his arms off of you to give the child a hug, kneeling down so their arms could reach around his neck. You just awkwardly stood next to it, trying to remember where you have seen this kid. It had brown hair, styled to a bob cut. Their eyes were closed while smiling.

 

You then noticed a dinosaur looking monster and a blue fish-like monster coming up to Grillby, following the child. They didn't hug him, but they greeted him friendly and with big grins. He gave them friendly nods while he continued to hug the child.

 

But soon he let go of them and he stood next to you again. By snaking his arm around your waist he introduced you to them. They gave you a huge grin, at least the tall and blue colored monster did.

 

"Well, who do we have here!" they said in a loud voice. You, who almost hadn't heard anything else than Grillby's hushed and low voice this day, slightly twitched at this. But soon you were grinning back.  
"Hi! My name's _____." you said as you held out your hand. The monster who talked to you took it first, and shook it with a strength that bordered at violence. But it was so enthusiastic and happy that you knew that they didn't mean bad.

  
"Nice ot meet you! Name's Undyne!" she almost yelled at you. The name rang in your head for a while until it clicked.  
"Oh! You're the head of The Royal Guard!" You surprised her with your knowledge, as it seemed. Her eyes grew wide for a moment, the face frozen in an expression that showed surprise, happiness and disbelief. Then she nodded and the big grin returned.

 

"Yeah! Well, was! We don't need that anymore. Hey, if you know me, then you maybe know my girl here!" The ex-guard said and looked down to the dinosaur looking monster. She had yellow scales but wore a cute dress and big glasses. She shyly lifted her hand in a wave, and you respected her boundaries. You didn't extend your hand so she had to take it, instead you copied the wave.

 

"H-hi there. I'm Alphys." she said as she lowered her claws again. "I-I was the royal scientist."  
"Aww, now you gave the answer away!" Undyne groaned and threw her head back while doing so. Alphys next to her started to fidget with the collar of her dress.  
"S-sorry!" she stuttered. But Undyne put her hand on her head to give her a small pat. The fish like monster was way bigger than the small Alphys.  
"Nah, it's okay, babe!"

 

Just when you wanted to tell them that you would have known who Alphys had been you felt a tug at your jeans. You looked down to the source of it: the small child was smiling up to you. Immediately you kneeled down to be on their eye level.  
"And who are you?" you asked with a friendly smile. But when they began to sign you made a small "Oh" noise. You only understood the basics of it. You knew the signs for "Hello, my name is" and "How are you" as well as "Bad" and "Good". That was all of it.  
So you were a little helpless when they began to sign even more, hands flying everywhere.

 

"Can't understand them, huh?" Undyne asked with a loud gackle. You shook your head, sad to admit that you didn't. But despite not answering the child they were still smiling to you, giving you a small nod to show that it was okay. Grillby noticed your struggle, kneeled down next to you and came really close to your ear, whispering a quiet translation into your ear. You made another "Oh" sound, this time more surprised and slightly shocked. In front of you was no one else than the one who broke the barrier and who was the ambassador of all monsters: Frisk. You introduced yourself quickly to them, and they seemed really happy about that. Before you knew it you, too, were engolfed in a tiny hug, which you quickly returned.

  
  
Before you could free yourself from the hug again you heard Undyne once more.  
"Whoa, Grillby, you talked?!" she said in a teasing manner. The fire monster next to you turned a deep shade of blue. You turned to Undyne.  
"Heh, don't tease my boyfriend!" You said jokingly while putting your hand on his shoulder, now free from Frisk's small hug. They continued by going back to Alphys and wrapping their arms around her. The scientist mumbled something like "O-oh, your very c-clingy today!" and she laughed a little at this.  
Grillby in the meantime had looked at you again, the blue faded a little, but his flames shot up and became brighter. Maybe he was happy that you jumped in for him.

 

Undyne and Alphys smiles grew bigger, just like Grillby's fire. "Your boyfriend, huh?" the taller monster teased more, this time she teased you. Only now you noticed what you've said.  
Of course, you and Grillby acted like a couple, always being close together. And you surely were ready to begin a relationship with him. But you never had asked him. Maybe he just wanted to stay close like that with no liabilities, without having to be "yours".

 

You looked back at Grillby, and you caught him watching you. He didn't seem to mind that you had called him your boyfriend, but he also could put on a show for Undyne and Alphys. Seeing that you both had stuff to talk about the couple said a quick goodbye, but promised they would come and visit you while you were at Grillby's. Frisk waved at you, and you gave the sign for bye-bye. They smiled brightly at you before they followed Undyne and Alphys deeper into the building.

 

As soon as they were gone Grillby pulled you into a tight hug. You were still unsure if it was alright with him to step into a relationship like that, so you spoke up.  
"I'm sorry that I called you that without your consent..." you mumbled. But as soon as you said it you felt his head shaking.  
"No, please. Call me that." He whispered into your ear. "I'm so so happy that you accept me as your partner!" He began so slighty sway from side to side, rocking the both of you gently.  
"So... you don't mind?" You wanted to make sure. You didn't want to push him into anything that he didn't want. But again, he shook his head.  
"Not at all! I'm so glad that you want to be with me." he reassured you, and you gave a sigh that was shaky from your small giggle. He turned his head a little to press a gentle kiss on your temple. "My beautiful, beautiful partner."

 

He pulled away from you, only to press a quick kiss on your lips. "Now let's go. You must be hungry." he said as he took your hand and dragged you out of the building, eager to continue this wonderful day. You chuckled and followed him, this time the both of you were faster than before. But as you walked down the streets you noticed something. Something that was wonderful and marvelous yet again.

 

It was already dark outside, like it always was when it was winter. It wasn't late, maybe only late afternoon or early evening, but the sun had already set. But with him it was never dark. His fire illuminated the streets in a wonderful warm manner, the snow twinkling in front of you. You created a shadow on the houses that flickered and distorted the form of it. But the area around you was lit up like it was flooded in thousand candles.  
But even while being enraptured by this sight the two of you continued to walk side by side.So you both reached his bar soon.

 

You weren't really surprised that he lived in the apartment right over the bar. It was easier for him, making his working place his home. Only people who loved their work would do that, you assumed. You could never imagine to live so close to where you worked.

 

But when you entered his flat you were amazed: it was bigger than you expected, but it still was cozy and comfy. When you entered you were in the living room right away, and you could see the couch, a big comfy looking chair and the TV. There was a cabinet with glass doors, displaying some fine looking dining ware. Close to it was a table, not too big, but it had enough place to let 4 people sit there. You noticed that it was already made for two. Flattered that he had planned it all you turned to give him a small peck on the cheek.

 

The two of you got out of your winter clothes. Well, actually only you. Grillby only took off his shoes before he helped you out of your coat. It seemed that Grillby was never cold. And with him close to you, you felt never cold, too.

 

"Please, make yourself comfortable, my dear." he said and gestured to the whole room. "I'll prepare dinner."  
"Can I help you somehow?" you quickly ask, not wanting to let him do all the work if he needed help. He shook his head, his bright and big flames swirling around. He lead you to the couch and gently nudged you down to it.  
"Do you want to watch a movie?" he asked and turned the TV on for you. You were surprised to see the homepage of Netflix. You didn't have such luxury! When Grillby saw your eyes brighten up he put the remote in your hands. "You can watch anything you want, dear. Relax and have a good time. Your waiter and chef Grillby will be serving you in just a little while!" he said with a playful voice while bowing in front of you, now exeggerating the gesture a little. You laughed at his teasing manner and watched as he went to the kitchen. It was seperated by the living room with only a decorative archway, so you could hear him rumaging in there.

  
  
"But if you need me, then call for me, okay?" you called after him. "I'm here if you need any help!"  
"Of course I will, do not worry. But I am sure I can handle a little dinner for two!" he called back, and that's when you noticed.  
While being in his own four walls he was speaking louder than usual. He wasn't shouting or anything, but he didn't surpress his voice anymore. He spoke in a normal volume while being here. You were happy about that. Of course, you still loved his quiet and low voice, but knwoing that he felt so comfortable here that he didn't felt the urge to speak so quietly made you really happy.

 

You choose one silly movie from the list and started to watch. But while doing so you looked around a little, noticing every small detail of his home. There were mre things than just the table, the cabinet and the seats, of course. It was really comfortable and cozy, yet there was more than enough room to walk. Everything was neatly stored away, and overall the apartment had a feeling of tidiness that yours lacked a little. Yours wasn't directly filthy and messy, but you still had the problem of it being overflooded with your stuff.  
Grillby's on the other hand felt like a true home. You were glad that he had found himself a new home, a place were he felt comfortable. You caught yourself thinking that you would consider this easily home as well, but quickly pushed the thought away. You shouldn't wish for something like that. Yet. Who knew that the future held for the two of you?

 

You continued to watch the movie, but paid little attention to it. Instead you were listening to the sounds that were coming from the kitchen, because if you listened closely you could hear Grillby hum. It was quiet, but it was there. He didn't follow a certain melody, simply tried to get his giddiness out. You did that by constantly smiling.  
And when you turned around you could see his typical flickering light, casting shadows on the walls that were dancing whenever he moved. You loved it. It gave the whole apartment a warm and cozy feeling to it. You enjoyed every single thing about the moment right now.

 

So much that you felt a little sleepy. You snuggled deeper into the cushions and continued to watch the movie. Sometimes Grillby's fire was reflected on the screen, but it wasn't annoying. It was only small and not too bright, not like sunlight on a screen, so it didn't bother you at all.

 

The movie wasn't even halfway through when you heard Grillby enter the room again. You lifted your upper body up to look over the headrest of the couch. He carried two serving plates that were covered with big bulbous lids. When he noticed your amazed face he simply flickered with his flames, putting the stainless steel plates on the table before returning to th kitchen. You stopped the movie and went to the table, but didn't know where to sit down. In the end it wouldn't matter, Grillby made sure that everything was in reach from both seats.

 

He came back quickly, one last plate on his hand that he put on the table, too. Then he took a chair and pulled it away from the table as if he wants to sit down, but he waits and looks at you.  
"Oh!" you made as you stepped to him and sat down on the stool. He pushed you closer to the table before taking a seat himself.

 

He did it again. He was treating you like you were something special, like you were someone of high importance. You felt so flattered by this, but also slightly confused. You understood that he liked you, just like you liked him, but you had no idea how you could ever give something back to him.

 

Grillby saw your blush and took your hand. "Is it too much?" he asked as if he had read your thoughts. After a moment you shook your head.  
"N-no, it's just..." you started but didn't know how to continue. You eyed the still covered food, then him. "I have no idea how I could ever top that."

 

He gave you a short laugh at this, but this time it was a true laugh. It wasn't surpressed, it wasn't quiet. Even his mouth appeared and opened, showing you his teeth. It was wonderful. You couldn't help but smile again when you heard it. After only a moment he caught himself again.

 

"Dear, don't worry about that. You already do!" he said while squeezing your hand. At that you tilted your head little.  
"How so? I'm not doing anything..." you mumbled. You noticed that his mouth was still to be seen, but you didn't mind, not at all. You were glad that he was comfortable enough to be just himself.  
"Yes you are." he began, his voice lower now. He leaned over the table to cup one of your cheeks with one of his hands. "You're smiling. You're here with me. And you allow me to treat you like I want to treat you." he pointed to the dishes to emphasize his words. "I like it when your eyes gleam whenever you see me. I like it whenever you smile at me simply because I'm here. And how your head straightens a little when I talk to you, as if you're eager to hear more. And I have the feeling that you do all these things because I'm... somewhat... precious to you."  
Before he could add anything you put your hand over his on your cheek and squeezed it. "Of course you are precious to me, Grillby!" And he really was. Not just because he almost spoiled you by treating you in a special way. He was someone important to you before all that.

 

He gave a small chuckle at this, and it sounded so happy. "And you're precious to me as well. This is why I do all of this for you. Not because I want to spoil you - which you deserve nontheless - but because I like it when you're enjoying it."  
  
  
At this you stood up, earning confused flickers by his flames. You walked around the table and then leaned to him to press a long and loving kiss on his lips.

 


	14. Heartbeats And Corehums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You found your additional part to your heart. His core.

 

He had pulled you closer to him while you kissed him, returning the gesture. You could feel him smiling ar your lips.  
As you pulled away again to catch some air he chuckled and buried his face into your neck. "So does this mean I can continue to treat you like this?" he asked, and you nodded. You still felt spoiled, and kinda like you had to give something back. But if it made him happy then you wouldn't say no, of course. Maybe you just had to learn to accept it and take.

 

After a minute of a small snuggle you returned to your place, and Grillby finally revealed what was hidden underneath the lids: you saw roasted meat, doused with a dark sauce. Under the second lid were cooked potatoes that were spiced with herbs, and under the third was red cabbage, also cooked and spiced. The scent that was drifting from the food to your nose was absolutely delicious.

 

"You see," Grillby began with a grin on his lips. "I can cook more than just burgers and fries."  
You were still eyeing the meat with amazed eyes. You were stunned that he went through so much effort for you. You just nodded, feeling how your mouth gets all watery from just the look and the scent of the food.

 

Grillby began to fill your plate with all the delicious things, then gave it to you. It was heavy from all the food.  
"You gonna make me fat!" you said jokingly as you wait while he was filling his plate. He only chuckled, small sparks began to fly around his head.  
"If you can't finish it all, then that's okay too. Maybe I made a little bit too much." he said while he looked down at the plates. There was still enough on them to feed the two of you twice.  
As you began to eat you couldn't stop for a while. It was too delicious. It wasn't so decorated like the food had been from the restaurant, but it tasted way better. Not only was the sauce absolutely wonderful, it also fit to the meat and the potatoes. You weren't exactly a fan of red cabbage, but you still found it enjoyable. At least when Grillby did it.

 

After a while you forced yourself to pause for a moment to compliment him on the dinner.  
"How and where did you learn all of that?" you asked. You were really curious about this. Not only was he a good chef, but also a professional bartender. You remembered back to when he was serving you that simple apple juice.

 

Grillby put down his cutlery to tell you a small story. You hoped it was alright with him that you continued to eat, but you listened carefully.  
"Well. To be quite fair, I had a lot of time on my hands." he began and folded his glowing hands under his chin. "After all I had more than 700 years to learn all of it."  
"Oh... right." you made. For a while you had forgotten how old he actually was. "How... old are you, again?"

 

You could see his flames dim quickly, and you wanted to take the question back immediately. But before you could do so he answered. "787 years..." he said, and his voice was hushed again. A sign that he didn't feel so comfortable. " Are you... do you have a problem with that...?" he dared to ask, and you heard uncertainness in his voice.

 

So that's why he was slightly nervous. Of course it was very strange to think about it all. That Grillby was so much older than you, and that he had lived a war you didn't even knew about several months ago. But it was still Grillby. He was still the same gentleman that you loved. So you shook your head.

  
"Nope!" you made, trying to cheer him up. "It only makes you more interesting!" you added after you thought about it a little. "It means that you can tell awesome stories of your life! I have only so little years on my shoulders. My life was pretty boring."

 

Your words had the effects on him that you wished: he flames shone brighter again, and the orange and yellow took over his face. His mouth curved up to a big smile.  
"Oh, I am sure you have interesting stories to tell as well, dear." he said. "Even without being an old candle like I am."  
"You're not a candle!" you protested with a full mouth, earning another honest laugh from him, his flames began to flicker brightly again. You quickly gulped down to continue. "You're more like... like... a sun."  
"A sun?" came his question back as he leaned forward. He was still smiling, just like you. But when you put down your cutlery you were truthful when you explained your idea to him.  
  
  
"You always shine so brightly when you smile, and it makes everything to warm and lively! And the orange and yellows swirl so pretty around. It all reminds me a little of these close up shots they do from the sun." you said. You promised to yourself that you would find one of those pictures and show it to him. To show how much he looked like it.

 

Grillby didn't do anything else but smile even wider at you. The lava like lips parting a little to show his white teeth.  
"I've never been compared to the sun before." he said and looked down a little. But his fire was burning high and bright, so you knew he wasn't sad. "Who would think I would be compared to something so beautiful?" He said it more to himself than to you, and he gave a quiet chuckle at it. It sounded disbelieving and amazed.  
  
  
"I think that." you simply said and leaned a little towards him. "In my eyes you're a sun."

 

This time it was him who stood up and came to you to give you a long kiss. His fire was crackling loudly while doing so.  
"You know what I am?" he whispered as he stopped for a moment, and his voice full of love and happiness gave you prickling goosebumps. "I'm your personal sun." and he gave you another kiss. You couldn't help but smile at his lips.  
  
  
  
"Yes, you are!" you exclaimed after the kiss and hugged him, pulling him done to you. For a second he almost lost his balance, but he quickly regained it. "And now I finally have the perfect nickname for you!" you were even happier about this. Since you and Grillby officially begun the relationship you were thinking of a cute pet name for him. He called you dear, and you loved it. It made you feel precious, important and loved.

 

You pulled away a little, only so that you could cup his cheeks in your hands. He had to bent down a little, so his face was close to yours.  
"Sun." you whisphered as you looked in his eyes, and you tried to. His flames shot up in response, and sparks began to fly around his head. He couldn't stop smiling at you.  
"That is perfect." he mumbled and gave your forehead a kiss. "I really like it, dear."

 

After giving you yet another kiss he returned to his place. Both of you continued to eat, but like Grillby predicted you didn't manage to finish all of it.  
When you were done you felt so wonderful. You were warm, you were full, and you were loved. Grillby began to clean the table and denied every help you offered. So you just sat there and thanked him as everything was back in the kitchen.

  
  
You and him looked at the clock on the wall. It wasn't too late yet, and you had to get to work a little later tomorrow.  
"How about a movie?" Grillby asked. "We could continue the one you were watching before?"  
"Nah, that was a silly one." you mumbled and forced yourself to stand up, only to waddle over to the couch to flop down there. Grillby quickly followed you, but he pulled you to him almost immediately after he sat down. He nuzzled his face into your hair while pulling you to his chest. Your back was warmed by his body temperature that was seeping from underneath his clothes.  
"Then how about an animated feature? You like those, don't you?" He asked and took the remote. You were flattered that he remembered.  
"I'm just not sure if you'll like them. They say they're for kids..." you muttered. You wanted to watch something that he would enjoy as well. This wasn't just about you, after all.  
"They might be, but they can be so creative, too." he said and repeated the exact same words that you had said weeks ago. You felt your cheeks burn hotter. He really listened when you talked.

  
  
So Grillby and you chose to watch a movie by Dreamworks, and he really seemed to enjoy it. You knew the movie already, but it was a long time ago since you last saw it. But more than the movie you enjoyed to be this close to him. Your back was pressed against his chest while he was leaning back on the pillows of the couch. One arm of him was draped over your shoulder and dangled down on your side while his other hand was holding yours, fingers interwined. You could feel his chest move up and down when he breathed, it were strong and deep movements. And you could hear something peculiar.

  
  
Throughout the movie you always heard a deep humming sound coming from Grillby's chest. It sounded like a far away forest fire, but not as threatening. More calming and steady. You hoped he didn't notice as you slipped down a little, your head that was resting close to his neck was now closer to his chest, where his heart would be. And really, the sound intensified. Before you knew what you were doing you rested your head there, ear over the source of the sound. It was rumbling deep inside of his.

 

"What do you hear there?" Grillby asked quietly, chuckling a little. You could feel how his chest shook with the sound of his chuckle.  
"Some nice humming..." you mumbled, enraptured in the sound. It vibrated with life and power.  
"Ah... that's my core." he said and began to ran his fingers through your hair. "It provides me with magic and fuels my fire." he explained while twirling some hair between his fingers.  
"So it's like my heartbeat?" you asked and lifted your head a little. You could see a questioning flicker in his flames.  
"Your heartbeat?" he asked back. The hand that was holding your entangled its fingers from yours and then pressed them on your wrist. "Do you mean this strange pulsation here? I didn't know a heart does that." he quickly added: "I know humans do have hearts and they provide the body with blood, just like my core provides me with magic. But I didn't know a heart moves."

  
You smiled up at him and then moved away from him. Before he could ask what you were doing you gently pulled his head down to your chest. He hesitantly followed your lead, but as soon as the side of his head came to rest over your heart he grabbed your hand again. You could hear an amazed gasp as he squeezed your hand.

 

For a while you stayed like this. He had tenderly pulled you closer, his head slightly pressing closer to your chest. His flames were tickling your jaw and chin, but it didn't burn you at all. At one point of the moment you began to place your free hand on his head, and you noticed an area where the solidity of his fire ended and were the flames began. You began to stroke the area.

 

"What do you hear there?" you asked now with a grin on your face. For a moment Grillby didn't answer.  
"A beat. A strong, wonderful beat. It has a rhythm to it, too." he answered and copied the sound with his deep voice. "Ba-dum, Ba-dum, Ba-dum..."  
"Yeah. That's my heart. It means that I am alive and well. If it would stop I would die within minutes." you explained more. "It pumps blood through my veins."  
You lifted the hand that was still being held by his and showed him your blue veins on your wrist. "That's why you could feel my pulse here, too."  
"Wow." Grillby made as he traced the veins with his warm fingers. "Human anatomy is strange, but interesting."

 

After another moment of listening he suddenly lifted his head, just like you had done. "Your heart cannot stop suddenly, right?" he asked and you could hear a small fear in his voice. You shook your head.  
"Nah. Not if I stay healthy." you answered and could see his relief in the flicker of his flames. Both of your returned to cuddle, and now it was him who was half laying on you, his head resting on your chest again. He enjoyed the sound of your heartbeat more than the movie, as it seemed.

 

But soon, way to soon, the movie ended, and you had to go. Grillby way stubborn when it came to the fact that you had to stop the cuddling. He groaned and grumbled, asking for five more minutes whenever you told him that the last five minutes were over. You didn't want to go, either. You wanted to stay like this the whole night. But you still had to walk home, and in the morning you had to get to the tram.

 

So, as another five minutes ended you urged him to stand up, reminding him that you had to work the next day. And if you wouldn't get enough sleep then you would be sleepy the whole next day, so you couldn't get to Grillby's. These arguments seemed to work since he stood up. Relunctantly, but he did. He helped you in your coat before you went out to the dark streets.

  
  
Like before he was illuminating the whole area, so it wasn't really that dark. A comfortable silence fell upon you as you walked to your home. You still felt like soaring since the whole day had been perfect. But you were also sad that it had to end now.

 

As you stood to the door to your apartment you turned to Grillby to give him one last kiss. After that he began to whisper.  
"Thank you so much, dear, for this wonderful day." he said silently and hugged you close to him.  
"I have to thank you, sun." you whispered back as you rested your head under his chin. "You made and planned everything for us. And all of it was just perfect. Thank you."  
"We both turned this day into something amazing." he answered as he gave your forehead a small peck. "And I hope to repeat it some day."  
"Of course! Next time I'll plan something!" you cheered and kissed his cheek as you pulled away a little. His flames flickered brightly and high, and the small crackling noise that was coming from him sounded lively and happy.  
"I'm looking forward to it. See you tomorrow?" You nodded at his question.  
"See you tomorrow."

 

And with that you opened the door and closed it slowly. It was so hard to say goodbye, but knowing that you would see him tomorrow made it easier.

 

Grillby waited in front of the door until he could hear your footsteps no longer. And even then he stood there for a moment, still trying to comprehend the whole day. He felt like he was weightless. He felt like all the negative thoughts and feelings inside of him were drained out, left alone somewhere and nowhere. After that moment he turned to walk back to his apartment, still feeling like he could actually fly there. His steps were long and bouncy.

 

He couldn't wait till tomorrow came. He already missed you, and it only had been several minutes since you had said goodnight. And what a wonderful night it was indeed! He could still feel your sweet lips on his, he could still remember every word you had said, and he could still hear the soft beat of your heart. What a marvelous sound it was, and when you said that it meant that you were alive and well, it became his favorite sound.

  
  
He reached his home, and when he entered it felt a little emptier without you. He wanted to have you back on his couch, watching your favorite movies while he could care for you. Maybe, one day, he would ask you to move in. There was enough space for two, and he was sure that you would like it here, too. The way you behaved in home gave him a feeling like you felt comfortable here. And it made him feel like you belonged here.

 

But he wouldn't rush. Like always he promised to never push you to do anything. He had waited when he wanted to kiss you for the first time until you had moved to meet him. The moment was burnt into his mind and would stay there forever. And that you had worried so much about him had made it all more important.

 

He also would forever remember the moment in the museum. He felt so angry and disappointed that they showed this awful picture to be seen by the whole world. By you. He had feared you would finally snap and realize that he was something you hated. A murderer. A fighter. A monster.  
But you hadn't. Instead you stayed with him, reassuring him that these times were over. You didn't care for his past, but you were willing when he decided to tell you more. You found the perfect balance between caring about him and his feelings, and not going to let his past intervene with your relationship. This wonderful and amazing relationship he had begun with you!

When he went to bed he knew that he would sleep at ease tonight. He hoped that he would have dreams of you, so the time until he would see you again would fly by faster. With one last thought towards you, he fell asleep.

 

 


	15. Royal Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You meet one member of the Royal Family, and she has a reason why she wanted to see you.

 

It wasn't to hard for you to wake up the next morning. You had slept like a stone, and you felt refreshed and happy. As soon as you woke up your thoughts wandered back to your new boyfriend. He would still be asleep, as much as you knew. Grillby's didn't open until afternoon on Tuesdays.

 

As you were on your way to the tram station you couldn't hold yourself anymore and sent him a good morning message with your phone, hoping you wouldn't wake him up. You didn't get a response right away, so he slept through it. That was alright, you didn't want to steal any sleep from him.  
But during your work you received one messaged back. It was longer than yours, wishing a good morning and he hoped that you had slept well. He wished you good luck on your work, but you didn't really had that.

 

Work was really exhausting this day, but you made it through it. You only regretted that you didn't find the time to answer Grillby and you hoped he didn't worry too much. As soon as you were on your way back home you answered him, saying sorry that you didn't do so earlier. You explained that work had been rather hard, and his response was filled with love. It took him a while to answer, but he said to not worry about it, and if you were too tired he would understand if you wanted to go home and take a nap instead of coming to Grillby's. Your quick answer told him that there was no way you would stay away from him today.   


So you hurried home and got out of your working clothes and slipped into something more comfortable. After you checked your appearance in the mirror you hurried to Grillby's, on your way you were writing to him that you would be there any second now. You dind't get a response, of course, since you would be talking to him in only a few minutes.

 

You could feel yourself smiling when you saw the bright sign that spelled 'Grillby's'. And when you entered your hard day at work was forgotten. Everyone greeted you, the loudest were the dog monsters. You greeted everyone back, but did so rather in a hurry. You didn't want to be rude, and no one seemed to take it that way, but you were eager to go to Grillby.

  
  
He was behind the bar, like usual, and was already looking at you when you walked up to him. His flames were big and bright, and they flickered quickly, showing how excited he was to see you again. Before you reached the bar he quickly hurried around the counter to meet you in front of it. Hs hands flew around you and you were engolfed in his warmth. You hugged him back, so happy to be with him again.  


"It's so good to see you again, my dear." Grillby mumbled in your ear before giving your temple a small peck. You laughed slightly at this.  
"It's not like we were seperated for a long time." you chuckled while you forgot your surroundings for a moment. You were enraptured in his presence and the giddy feeling you had. "But I missed you, too."

 

You were sure that he could only imagine how much you had missed him during the day. There was barely a moment while you were at work when you hadn't thought of him. Now that you were finally with him again you could feel your body relax. The familiar warmth of his body was warming you up, his voice was reassuring you that work was over and that you would be cared for. You sighed in relief, and Grillby immediately knew that you had a hard day. You could tell by how he gently pushed you on your chair at the bar and he told you to relax for a while. He hurried in the kitchen to prepare some food for you, too.   


You looked around the bar for a moment to see who was there. The dogs, of course, who waved at you as your gaze went over them. You quickly waved back, of course. You would go over there after you had your food, you promised yourself. You were in the mood for a nice poker game. As you looked more you saw a small group of monster sthat were unknown to you. They all were bunny looking like, and one of Grillby's habitue, the drunken looking bunny, had joined them. To your surprise there was also a human, a young boy. They all seemed to have a great time while enjoying some fries and some drinks. The boy, too, laughed in a friendly manner and chatted with the monsters.

 

Before you could look more you heard the kitchen door open, and you quickly turned your gaze back to Grillby. His flames were still flickering high and bright as he served you your food. "Thank you, sunny!" you said. He chuckled slightly at the new form of the nickname, but his bright flames reasured you that he liked it. "That's just what I needed..." you sighed in contentment after your first bite. It was your special burger, extra bacon and extra sauce, fresh and delicious as always.

  
  
"Rough day at work, dear?" he asked as he leaned on the counter in front of you, now being closer than he ever had been while doing so. You nodded slightly.  
"Indeed. That's why I didn't answer your message, too. Sorry for that."  
"No no, it's okay. Don't worry." he said quickly. "For now it's time that you relax, dear. Would you like a drink?"  
Since you had something in your stomach now you were sure that you could enjoy something nice, so you nodded. Grillby's flames bursted in excitement and happiness as he said "I'll make you something!". He turned to the shelf and grabbed a dark brown bottle. You immediately noticed that it was wine, but you didn't really have any specific idea of what wine to be exact. He then took a big mug and poured some of the liquor into it before storing the bottle away again. To your surprise he took more bottles and you recognized them as rum and orange juice. Only a very small amount of rum made it into the mug, followed by a little swig of orange juice. After storing the bottles away again Grillby spiced the mixture with cinnamon, clove and sugar.  


Before he handed it to you he warmed everything up by putting his hands around the mug and heating them up. You still really liked this trick. You were wondering what else he could do with magic. You've heard from monster using magic to lift objects hundred times their own weight. Some monsters could also shape shift! Maybe one day Grillby will show you what he could do, but you wouldn't push him to do so.   


At the time you finished your burger he had served you your new drink. I smelled fruity and sweet, and also tasted like this. It was relaxing a lot and warmed you from the inside, creating a cozy feeling inside of you. You thanked your partner by leaning over the counter and giving him a small smooch on his cheek. You were thankful that he knew exactly what you needed. Before he could give you a kiss in return he was being called over, and he quickly went to the customer to serve them.

 

You followed him with your gaze and you saw that it was the group of the bunny monsters and the human. You were happy to see that they were really nice to him, and he seemed to be relaxed around them, too. After only a small moment he returned, making his way back to the bar. But before he stepped behind it he came to you and placed a small kiss on your cheek. You giggled, already slightly affected be the alcohol, before returning the gesture. You heard a small 'Awww' sound coming from where the dog monsters were.

 

Grillby went to his place behind the bar to start a mixing marathon. It seemed that the group of the bunny monsters together with the human were here to have a good time. You couldn't stop from watching him doing his job. He noticed that and gave you a grin. You could see it in his flicker of his flames. Then he started to put on a small show for you. Not only did he mix the drinks, but he involved some small tricks. Since no one else was really sitting at the bar you knew it was all just for you, and you were truly amazed.

 

He threw bottles into the air, not very high but so that they would spin before they were being caught by Grillby. While doing so small trails of fire began to twirl around the bottles, creating a trail of twinkling fire. After he caught the bottles again he poured the liquids into the long glasses, mixing them with a little chopstick. You had no idea what drinks he created, but some were really colorful. Some got decorated with slices of fruits and sugary rims on the glasses. After everything was looking delicious and colorful he put them on the sevring plate before going to the costumers. When he returned you clapped at him, telling that you liked the little performance. He simply gave a chuckle towards you before going back behind the bar.

 

There was a comfortable silence coming over the two of you. You took little sips of your mulled wine, enjoying the warmth of it and the atmosphere of the bar. It really was your favorite place. The day at work was forgotten, you were near your boyfriend and friends, and the guests were really nice today. And when Sans came in it made everything even better. You waved at him as soon as he entered, and joined the call of his name that almost the whole bar shouted. You could see that the human boy was giving a slight startled noise at the volume, and you chuckled, remembering back when you threw cards in the air because you had the same reaction to the shout.   


Sans saw you, and after saying Hello to everyone he flopped down to the seat next to you. "heya." he simply said and stared into your face that was almost splitting apart by how big you grinned. "somethin's off. what did I miss?"   
Instead of telling him you simply leaned over the counter towards Grillby. He immediately lowered the glass and the piece of cloth in his hands and leaned forward, too, so you could give him a small peck on his invisible lips. You could still feel them and you had the urge to kiss him longer and deeper, but not here, not right now. You felt too many eyes on you. So you relunctantly let go of him again, but before you could lean back Grillby nuzzled you for a second.  


"yes!" Sans exclaimed loudly and threw his arms up in the air. He shook them a little to do something that could be a small happy dance, his bone rattling while doing so. As he lowered them again he grinned at you both. "you have no idea how happy that makes me."  
"I think I have a pretty good idea." you disagreed with him with a smile. You still felt all prickly from the little kiss.  
"well, okay, maybe you do. but you don't know how it is to know that your wingman role skills are still workin'!" Grillby chuckled a little at this.  
"I think I should thank you a little for this, Sans." he said quietly. "You always reasured me that it will be alright. Thank you."  


Sans waved it off and made a 'pfft' sound. "you two would've found each other without my help, too. you really fit each other."   
You didn't really know what the two were talking about. But you knew that Sans liked to stay after closing time a little, since Grillby was a good friend of him. You never knew they would talk about you so much, tho. It seemed that the bartender did have some slight doubts when he had been talking of you, and Sans must've denied those thoughts.  
No matter what, you had the urge to thank him, too.  
"But you helped us getting together a little faster." you said with a warm smile towards Sans. "Thank you for that."

  
  
The skeleton lifted his hand to scratch the back of his skull. "c'mon , enough of that sentimental stuff now. tibia-nest i just did what felt right. you two are good for each other."  
"Indeed." Grillby quickly agreed, but his gaze was on his hands that were busy with cleaning a glass. After a moment of just looking at his hands he lifted his gaze again, flames flickering slowly but birghtly in a content way. "Sans, you should hear how _____ reacted when they found out that I am a war veteran."  
Sans' eye sockets grew wide for a moment. "how did you find out?" he asked you in a shocked way. You were throw aback a little by his reaction and tried to stutter an answer. You told him you've been at the museum with Grillby and that you had seen the painting there. Sans was still shocked when he heard that the picture was still being displayed there.  


"But instead of being frightened _____ helped me to calm down." he added to your explanation. You felt your cheeks blush when you heard how warm his voice was, as if he talked about something that was the most precious thing to him. It was almost only a whisper.   
Sans' grin returned, his eye sockets not so wide anymore. He looked kind of proud. "i bet you could never frighten _____. isn't that right?" he asked you then, and you quickly nodded.  
"Never ever. Sometimes he surprises me, yes, but that's alright!" you added. You felt how Grillby took your hand in his and squeezed it. When you looked at him you couldn't help but smile when you saw how bright his flames were flickering. He was almost shining in a bright white light. You got the feeling that making you afraid and scared of him was one of his fears, but you were sure that you could never feel scared by him.

 

Just when you and Grillby exchanged this warm smile you heard the bar door open and the guests went 'Oooh!'. Then you heard people exclaim "It's the queen!". Confused, you turned around. And really, there she was. A goat like monster with white shining fur. She was even prettier than on the potrait you've seen in the museum. She stepped in a little more and smiled to everyone. On her hand was Frisk, who was waving at everyone in a very excited manner. When they saw Sans and you they pulled away from the queen and sprinted towards the skeleton, only to capture him in a tight tiny hug.

 

"whoa there super sprinter, what's up?" he asked and wrapped his boney arms around the kid. He even lfited them off the ground for a moment before putting them down again. After they let go of Sans Frisk went over to you and opened their arms while their hands did a grabbing motion. You understood and quickly got off your stool to kneel down. The hug they gave you were a little gentlier, but not less happier. You were also happy to see the kid again. They were just so cute!   


Meanwhile the queen had made her way to you, not before greeting the guests of the bar. Everyone seemed rather surprised to see her here, but no one freaked really out. Not like you. After all, this was a queen, a royality! Did you have to bow? Should you kneel and pledge your undoubting services?  
Before you could make a decision the queen had wrapped you in a hug. You were a little thrown aback by this and couldn't even return the gesture. It was only a short hug, but it felt very motherly and comforting. Her fur was soft and she was simply made for hugs.

 

"I am sorry, this must've been quite weird for you." she said with a wonderful soft voice. It was full of tenderness and friendliness. "But my, you have such a wonderful aura! I couldn't hold myself."   
"N-no, please, it's alright. I was just surprised." you stuttered. You didn't really know what you should do, so you simply extended your hands to her. "I'm _____... your majesty." you quickly added. The goat like monster took your hand in both of hers, holding it tightly, but gently.  
"I know, my child, I know." she said and smiled down to you. "Frisk here told me a lot of you yesterday." Said kid nodded quickly when you looked at them for a moment. "I hope you don't mind to ask you, but they told me that you are in a relationship with a monster. I trust my little Frisk, but I had to see with my own eyes." She all said that in a very polite tone, but you could hear the hope in there, too.

 

You were a little frightened. You had no idea why she would ask. Why would the queen herself come to a bar to see if you really had a partner? This could either be really good news or really bad news. Was it forbidden for monster and humans to be in a relationship like that?  
Before you could really answer you noticed how Grllby stepped from behind the bar to stand next to you. You could feel how his warm arm wrapped around your waist and pulled you gently closer to you. Immediately you felt your fear fall. No matter, what, he was here with you, by your side. You could manage anything with him close to you.

 

But you had no reason to be afraid, anyways. Toriel smiled even wider and before you knew it, you and Grillby were engolfed in yet another hug by the queen. She squeezed the both of you for a short moment before letting go again. "This is fantastic!" she exclaimed as she stepped back again. You could only agree with her when she continued: "It is another step towards peace between monsters and humans. To see that it is possible for us to fall in love with each other is amazing. _____, you don't know how much it means for monsters to see that. It will give to much hope to monsterkind!"  
"And humankind, too. I've seen other being very friendly towards monsters." you said, now a little more confident. You nodded towards the human boy who was watching the scene, like almost everyone else in the bar. Toriel agreed.

 

"I know I came in here without you knowing me, and I know it must be very forward of me to ask you this. But you know how monsters have an own TV channel?" Toriel asked as she stepped closer again, only a little. She just wanted to make sure that you were listening since Grillby had taken your hand in his free one and he began to intervine his fingers with yours. You weren't really surprised that he wasn't tense around the queen at all. After all he had known her for many many years.  
"I do! I sometimes check it out to see what's going on." you answered while you squeezed Grillby's hand for a moment. Just because you were focused on the queen right now didn't mean you would forget about him. Some might think he was clingy, but you didn't care. You were clingy, too, and it felt great to have someone who wanted to be near to you.

  
  
"Great! So you know about Mettaton, too?" Again, you nodded, saying that you sometimes liked to watch one of his shows. Even if you usually don't really know what was going on there you still liked some of his shows, anjoying the utter chaos he was causing without really harming anyone. It made you laugh in a way that was most careless and freeing. "Well, when I heard that you and Grillby were a couple I was thinking. We could ask Mettaton if he could invite you two to a show?"

 

You felt your jaw drop slightly, only for a moment. Maybe it was a good idea. It could show whole monsterkind that there really was a chance. You knew that there were more people out there like you. People who understand and who were ready to make their own opinions about the new species. You could show that it was possible for humans and monsters to live together peacefully, and even create a loving relationship together. And maybe even some humans could see it.  
But it would also mean that so many could see you. And everything you would say could be heard by many people. You usually didn't like this feeling. But this time the usage for others weighted more than your own uncomfortable feelings.

  
  
"A-alright..." you stuttered again and you cursed yourself for it. "But only if Grillby is okay with it, too." you quickly added and looked to your side. Grillby's flames were a little dimmer than before, and you already wanted to say No to the queen, but then he nodded. You reassured him that he could say No, too. He leaned to your ear to whisper in it.

 

"I know what you're thinking, dear. We could show everyone how happy we are. It'll teach everyone that it is possible. For monsters and humans to be happy together. And I want to show them, too." he mumbled before kissing your temple quickly. You were glad to hear that he was happy, and that he thought like you as well. After he leaned back from you again he nodded towards the queen.

 

She clapped in her hands once and smiled happily. "That is so great!" she exclaimed. Frisk was clapping more, happy to see you two being so happy with each other. They were currently sitting on Sans' lap and wiggling with their feet.

 

"So it is settled then!" Toriel continued. "Do you have a phone? I would like to stay in contact with you. Oh, all of this is just so exciting! We finally have good news!"  
You were glad that the queen thought so about you and Grillby. It was great to get positive response to your new relationship when you felt so great about it yourself. So you gladly gave her your phone number, and she told you that she would send you a message with Mettaton's answer. She stayed a little to chat with you, and Grillby went behind the bar to serve her a tea you haven't tried before.

 

After a while you almost forgot that you were talking to the queen of all monsters. She was just so friendly and not offish at all. You noticed that she and Frisk shared a deep relationship, almost like a mother and a child. You found it just too cute. Another thing you noticed was that Sans was looking quite often to her, and his eye lights dilated a little whenever he did. But you didn't say anything. It seemed that he wanted to admire her from a far for a while longer, and it wasn't your right to intervene with it.

 

The costumers in Grillby's seemed the wait until the royal visit was over. The fire monster wasn't being called over once, so he took the chance and stood next to your stool the whole time, wrapping his arms around your shoulders while you were talking to the queen. Grillby was a cuddle addict, as it seemed, but you were the last person to complain. You took his hands in yours while his arms dangled from your shoulders to show him that you liked him so close.

 

You chatted for like two hours with Toriel and also Frisk, whose sign language got translated by Sans and the queen. But after the hours ticked by Frisk showed that they wanted to move on. Toriel told you that they wanted to meet up with Asgore later to talk more about stuff that you had no idea about. You said that you looked forward to hear from both of them again, and they felt the same. You waved at Frisk and Toriel as they left the bar.

 

Grillby exhaled strongly, a small puff of white steam escaping where his mouth would be.   
"Everything's okay?" you asked him and turned your head so you could see him. He nodded and leaned forward to mumble in your ear.  
"It is just weird to do a favor for the queen after such a long time." he whispered. "The royal family mostly left me alone for the whole time." He then noticed Sans' eye sockets on the both of you, and you were sure he was listening. "I'll tell you more when we're alone, alright?" Grillby mumbled and gave your temple a kiss to end the small conversation. You hummed to agree with him and smiled. You felt honored and important that he would tell you something that even Sans didn't know. Maybe not knew. Maybe Grillby already told him everything. Who knew.

 

Before you two could exchange more little kisses and words Grillby was being called by three different costumers. He let go of you and hurried to the first one. You looked after him, but when you turned back to Sans you found him already staring at you.

  
  
"y'know..." he started, and you didn't like the tone of his voice. Not really. "if there's one thing i don't like, then it's secrets." he grumbled at you. "so heh... how 'bout we meet after you had your lil' chit chat with your grillbz and you tell me a bit more 'bout him?" he sounded softer at the end and gave you a smile, but it wasn't really true. You didn't know why it was so important to him to hear whatever Grillby had to tell you, but no matter what, he would tell you and not Sans.

 

"He'll tell you if he wants to." you said and could see Sans' smile falter.   
"listen, buddy." he tried again. "grillbz is a good friend, a really good friend. i've been visiting his bar before you were born. heck, before your parents even met and before the idea of you existed. and there are things about him i don't get. like, why he chooses to be quiet around strangers, except when there are extreme situations. or why he avoids anything that has to do with lily's-"  
"Lily's?" you asked quietly, and he only nodded. After a moment you just shrugged. "Listen, Sans. I appreciate that you want to help a friend and all, but everyone has secrets. I do, you do, Grillby does. And that's okay. Sometimes we reveal secrets to those who deserve it, and that's okay too. But we should never try to force a secret out, I think. There will be stuff that Grillby won't even tell me, and that, too, is okay. And there's stuff that Grillby won't tell you. And guess what."  
"i guess you'll say 'that's okay'." he muttered. You nodded.  
"It is!" you said and smiled to him. You could hear the skeleton grumble more. Then he shrugged.

  
  
"guess so." He looked at the counter of the bar for a while, thinking about what you have said. You gave him time to do so, looking back to Grillby to see what he was doing. It looked like the dog monsters were ready to pay, and they currently collected the money to do so. As they handed the money to the fre monster who quickly checked the amount, Sans spoke up again.

 

"sorry that i bothered you with that. it's an old habit, back from when we were still underground." he explained and turned to look at you again. His eye sockets were formed like big puppy eyes. Your inner voice made a long drawn out 'Dawww' sound.  
"It's alright. You just want to help a friend." you said and smiled to him. Sans could be very suspicious about many things, and he was very doubting sometimes. He had his bad days when he would drown one bottle of ketchup after another, finding some sort of comfort in it. There were days were he didn't want to talk to you at all. But you knew one thing about him: he was a good person. He would shift the world's axes for his brother and his friends.

 

 


	16. On Stage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just like suggested, Mettaton, you and Grillby showed the world that things were going fine.

Sans, you and Grillby continued to have a great day at your boyfriend's bar. You were a little sad that the dog monsters left so early, but you would see them again soon, maybe even tomorrow. You were sure they would understand why you didn't play a game of poker with them today, after all they had seen the queen themselves.

  
Sans told you a little more about the queen, but not too much. He didn't gossip, not at all. He just told you some facts that every monster knew, you guessed. Some of it you already knew, too, like Asgore and Toriel being divorced since quite a while. Or that she and the king are way older than some humans imagined.

 

While Sans told you the little stories about the royal monster family Grillby never went too far away from you. Of course, sometimes he had to serve other costumers, but as soon as he returned he was close to you. The skeleton noticed of course, but didn't do much than grin whenever you gave your partner a smooch. When Grillby went to the kitchen to prepare some food Sans spoke up about your new relationship.

 

"what ya think about your newfound partner?" he asked and added: "you know what almost everyone else thinks. we love seeing a couple being happy. guess we monsters love love, if you get me. but i wanna hear what you think."  
You couldn't help but grin widely and look down at your knees. Where even start? How your thoughts are almost always with Grillby? How you like to watch him do his job, or do whatever he currently does. How you loved his warmth and his soft voice. How his happiness and well being is one of the most important thing to you. Or how happy and giddy you feel whenever he held you close to him.

 

"I think I'm super lucky." you started and looked up at the skeleton again. "I'm lucky that I decided to go to the park that one day, and that you had the same idea. If we wouldn't have met, then maybe I wouldn't be sitting here."  
"heh, i'm not here to talk about that butterfly effect, even if it's a cool concept." Sans said in an amused tone. You chuckled slightly. He was right. Thinking about what would be if you walked past Sans that one evening was mind blowing, but also slightly sad.

 

"Well... I must admit I'm a little overwhelmed. About everything." you admitted after a moment. "The last few months were a rollercoaster. But compared the last weeks it was a very calm rollercoaster. And now I'm on one that could be called 'Killer Anaconda Typhoon'."  
"i'd ride the heck outta it." Sans said and his eye lights shone a bit brighter.  
"Well, I currently am, and it's really fantastic." you grinned at the skeleton. "I don't want to quit it, not at all. But, all comparisons aside, I really have the feeling like I'm floating the whole time. Grillby gives me the feeling that I can manage everything as long as he supports me. And he makes me happy by just... being there. Being with me. It gives me energy and happiness to know that he's just here with me. Urgh, it's hard to explain." you ended and sighed.

 

But Sans understood and shook his head. "i get a pretty good idea of what you mean. just wanted to hear it from ya." he said and put a boney hand on your shoulder to pat it for a second. "thanks, pal. great to hear that. i bet grillbz thinks the same about ya."  
"I hope so." you just said. You were sure it was true, but you couldn't know. After all you couldn't read Grillby's mind.  
"he sure does." Sans ended the small conversation as Grillby returned from the kitchen. His arms were full of plates again, but he didn't looked stressed at all. He brought the food to the costumers and returned to the bar with fast steps, eager to coming back to you.

 

More hours went by in a comfortable and cozy atmosphere. Grillby served you delicacy after delicacy. You were treated with apple cider, more mulled wine and sweet refreshment drinks. He loved to care for you, that's what you knew by now. And even if it was hard to be pampered like that for no particular reason other than that you were his partner, you accepted it. It made him happy to care for you, to see that you accepted his treatments, so you wouldn't say anything against it. To be quite honest, you began to like it. Once the thought that you had to repay him vanished a little you could enjoy his care.

 

Later that evening you received a message by Toriel. You didn't expect that it would be that fast, but she told you that Mettaton was excited to have you and Grillby on his show. You got a suggestion about when it should start. Next Monday, when Grillby's was closed.  
You asked the bartender if he was okay with it or not. He nodded, but seemed more offish than usual. You leaned over the counter, and he got the hint. He leaned forward, too, so you could kiss him on the his face, there where his nose would be.

 

"We don't have to go there, sunny." you said and gave him another kiss. "I don't really like the whole whirlwind about our relationship either, but I said yes because I know it could change some human's mind."  
He nodded and kissed your nose back, leaving a prickling sensation on the tip of your nose. "I know, my dear, I know. And I want to do the same. Giving everyone a chance to see how well a relationship between us can work. It's just... I do not enjoy Mettaton's prsence that much."  
"Oh..." you made. When you remembered back you noticed how silent he was whenever the topic about Mettaton came up. "Well... this, too, is a reason to say No. No one will force you to do anything."  
He seemed to think about it a little, but gave your nose one last kiss before he leaned back. "No. Let's do this."

 

But when the next Monday came it was you who was very hesitant and reluctant about all of it. You had switched your free day with your friendly co-worker again, so you had the day off, and you needed it. Mettaton's assistants were working on you for hours. A crocodile monster called Bratty made your hair floofy and shiny, while Catty, a cat looking like monster, took care of an outfit for you.

You were sitting in a backstage room, in front of a big mirror, but you weren't allowed to do anything by yourself. Grillby wasn't in the same room like you, but you knew that he had to go through the same procedure like you. You needed him so badly. The last week the two of you were almost inseperable, but sadly you didn't have enough alone time to really be closer together. You had to leave when Grillby's close, even if you wanted to follow him up to his apartment to cuddle again. But you still had to work, and you still needed sleep.

 

And now your free day had been occupied by this. You felt kinda exposed when you had to get out of your clothes and in the stage outfit, all while Bratty and Catty were in the same room. At least they didn't stare at you. It looked like they were used to have guests here. And you knew that Mettaton indeed had many guests in his show, each and everyone being a 'very very special guest', as he always said.

  
  
When you were finally done you could leave to make your way to the stage. Catty and Bratty were folloing you, tho, always ready to fix anything about your appearance that could be off. You had expected that you would get some make-up, but you hadn't thought that you would get a whole make over. Your outfit that you were wearing felt unfamiliar, but it wasn't too sparkly and still kinda your style.

 

The hall to the stage was long, but soon you reached the end of it. There was a big double door with a sign over it that said "on air". But you were more interested in who was standing in front of the door.  
They styled Grillby in the best way possible. He was wearing a simple dark tee shirt, but he was also wearing a scarf that dangled a little from his neck. Simple jeans and good looking shoes were part of his outfit. At least he looked more normal than you.

 

But even with your unusual outfit and your sparkly appearance, you could see how his flames shot up when he saw you. You almost ran to him, happy to be with him again after hours. Without thinking he hugged you close to him and buried his face in your hair, a thing he started to do a lot. Bratty and Catty yelped in shock.  
"Don't destroy their hair!"  
"Yeah, totally don't do that!" they said and quickly fixed your hair again. You just giggled at them, happier now that you were back with your partner again.

 

You all had to wait a little, since the show was already running. You two would join Mettaton once he had announced you, and a short interview would follow. You didn't exactly know every question, but you knew you were okay if you just answered truthfully. And if you didn't say anything stupid. Still, you were nervous, very much so. Grillby noticed this, of course. You were an open book to him, just like his emotions were easy to read for you as well. He gently put a hand on your back and rubbed it soothingly, teeling you that you'll do fine without any words. You knew you would be the only one talking, and that was fine. Grillby wouldn't talk while so many strangers were watching and listening, and you understood it. You would do anything to make him feel comfortable.

 

Suddenly you could hear Mettaton's robotic voice talking louder, and the small live audience that was in the studio cheered. Bratty and Catty told you that this was your cue, and they opened the door for you two.  
Grillby draped his arm around your shoulder, and you wrapped yours around his waist. His warmth was soothing and calming, and you told yourself that you did nothing more than meeting a new friend and having a good time with your boyfriend.

 

But when you went on stage this small illusion quickly faltered. There were bright lights and loud noises that startled you for a second. But Grillby's slight squeeze with his arm on your shoulder reassured you that everything was alright. There was a cheering crowd somewhere behind the blinding spotlights, but you tried to ignore them. You simply copied Grillby when he gave them a lazy wave before turning to Mettaton.

 

The robot looked more stunning in real life than on TV. His metallic body sparkled and shone in the bright light, the pink heart on his belt glowing brightly. He greeted you by hugging you in a friendly manner and as if you two knew each other since forever. You didn't mind since you got used to random hugs ever since you had moved to the Monster District. So you hugged him back, making Mettaton seemingly happy about this. He then went to do the same with Grillby, but this hug was a little less bigger. Still the gesture counted.

  
  
"Ladies and Gentlemen and everyone in between, please welcome my dear special guests: _____ and Grillby!" he announced with his showbusiness voice, and the crowed cheered again. Only when you looked towards them did you notice the camera that was pointing right at your face. The live audience might be small and comfortable, but suddenly you remembered that this would be seen on TV. Good thing this wasn't live, so they could cut out your weird staring right into the camera. You quickly looked back to Mettaton. His shiny was face still easier to look at than the camera.

 

"And we have a good reason to have such very very special guests, my dear viewers!" there he went with his trademark sentence. "It is always a reason to celebrate when two lovely people find each other and start something wonderfully. Something that lets our souls shine brighter! Something almost everyone of of are longing for!" He put his hands together to create a heart shape and when he looked directly at the camera he said in a happy and almost singing tone: "Love."

 

The crowd made a big 'Awww' sound when Mettaton did so. You found it a little exaggerrated, but you still smiled. The audience seemed to like it, and the robot had more experience in show business than you did. He knew what he did.

  
When he told everyone that you and Grillby were a couple you could feel the warm arm of him wrapping around your waist again. You leaned against him, only slightly, so that the two of you wouldn't lose balance. But before you could snuggle up more to him Mettaton called you over to a little sitting lounge. There were two small couches, and Mettaton went to occupy one of them. You and Grillby took place on the other. They were white and soft and the dark metal of Mettaton looked great on the cushions.

After all of you were comfortable Mettaton began with the questions. You gulped slightly, but were reliefed when the first question was rather simple.  
"Tell me, _____, how did you meet Grillby? I bet it was a very romantic scene!" he said looked at you. You could see real interest in his eyes. And something else. After a moment you recognized it as hope. You had seen it in so many eyes already. It wasn't just hope to hear a good story, but also hope that everyone would like it.

  
  
When you saw this interest and hope you forgot the scenery around you. Now it was just you, Grillby and Mettaton. So you smiled genuinely to him.  
"Sadly, not really, and that's kinda my fault." you started with a small chuckle. "A friend of me introduced me to his bar, Grillby's, where I haven't been before. And when I entered I just kinda stared at him." The hand of your boyfriend rubbed your back to tell you that there were no hard feelings about that.

 

"So it was love on the first sight?" Mettaton cooed and the crowd joined him. You gave asmall chuckle and shook your head.  
"Not really. I was more shocked to find the bar on fire, until I noticed that it was a person." you answered. Mettaton laughed a little louder than he should at this, but you didn't mind. You took the small pause as your cue to continue. And so you did. You told them that you continued to visit Grillby's for various reasons, but admitted that he was one of the bigger ones. When you told this he pulled you a little closer to him. Your tighs were touching now, and his warmth was seeping through your clothes.

 

"Darlin', that was a wonderful story indeed!" Mettaton said when you were done with telling it. "But I am wondering how you met your friend anyways? Most humans do avoid our little part of the town. What drove you to live here?"  
Again, a question that wasn't hard for you to answer.

  
  
"Well, when media started to pick up the topic about monsters I was curious. And soon media showed more and more news about you all, but I'm someone who likes to make their own opinions. So, despite what they all say I went to this district and looked around a little. And, uh, I was kinda shocked." You made a playful pause here, and Mettaton picked it up.  
"Oh, why were you shocked? Have you been attacked?" he asked, well knowing that this wasn't the case at all. But you could still feel the tension in the audience. It looked like they were really enraptured with whatever Mettaton was doing.

 

When you shook your head with a smile you could hear the audience breathe again. "Well, if you call friendly greetings and nice chit chat attacks, then yes, I've been attacked with friendliness and peace." Mettaton seemed to be happy that you played with the audience like that, since they laughed a little at what you had said. Even Grillby next to you chuckled very quietly, but you could see the sparks that began to fly around his head.

 

You answered a few more questions by Mettaton, one weirdly enough being "And what do you think of my boots?" and it was so out of context that you couldn't do much more than say "U-um, yes, g-good, I like them?" and he even was satisfied by this. But soon after this a question followed that didn't make you uncomfortable, but Grillby.

 

"Now, we know that humans usually are afraid of fire, or at least of touching it. I think even small human puppies are being taught to never touch it, isn't this right?"  
You snorted when he said 'human puppies', but you tried to hide it a little. Especially when you could feel your boyfriend next to you stiffen. From the corner of your eye you could see how his flames slowly, but surely, went down and became dimmer. After a small pause Mettaton continued: "Does it hurt if he touches you?"

 

Grillby became even dimmer. He was almost gloomy now. You knew it was one of his greatest fears, that you would be afraid of him or that he hurt you. So you went to proof everyone that this wasn't the case.  
"Not at all!" you exclaimed and raised a hand. "Grillby isn't burning hot, only pleasantly warm." you said as you ruffled through the flames on top of his head. As you did so they shot up again, flickering brightly while he looked at you. You gave him a big smile as you gave his head one last pat. In return he ruffled your hair, too, and you could almost hear Bratty and Catty scream behind the stage. But you didn't mind, you were only happy that he was feeling better now.

 

Then he took one of your hands in his, warming it and showing everyone even more that his touch wasn't dangerous at all. He squeezed your hand for a moment before turning back to Mettaton.  
But it seemed that the show hoster was happy for now, and he urged the two of you to stand up. You were kinda relieved that you could go now, but Mettaton had one last request.

 

"Why not share some of your love with us, darlin'? Please, one kiss to your wonderful partner!" he said and stood there, watching you with bright eyes. Before you could even think about it, deciding if it would be a good idea to kiss Grillby in front of a running camera or if he would be alright with it, you felt how he pulled you to him. His flames were flickering brightly as you turned to him, even small white sparks flew around his head. You didn't know what caused his euphoric state, but you were the last person to end it.

 

He leaned down to give you a long kiss. The whole studio 'Awww'ed at this as you pulled away again. You were a little surprised by his urge to kiss you, but you smiled nontheless. After the kiss Mettaton shooed you laughingly out of the studio, but not before thanking you two for coming. You thanked him for inviting you and waved to the audience and the camera before you went with Grillby. He was already slightly dragging you to the door.  
  
  
  
Catty and Bratty weren't behind it. You figured they were already in the backstage room again, waiting for your return. But they had to wait.  
As the door closed behind you felt yourself being dragged to Grillby again. He had pulled you a hug, pressing you close to him. You were a little confused by why he had the urge to hug you now. Maybe he was just relieved that the whole show was over, just like you. You hugged him back, but before you could relax more he pulled away a little, only to press another kiss on your lips. This time it was deeper and longer than it had been on stage.

 

As you pulled away to catch some air you could feel his hands sneaking up to cup your cheeks. He was looking at you, and you could feel the warm magic that he was sending through you intensify. He almost cradled your face, holding it like it was the most precious thing on earth. You were a little confused about his sudden and intense affection towards you. He saw this and chuckled slightly at you before lowering his hands, only to take one of yours in his and dragging you along the hallway.

 

It looked like your unasked question would remain unanswered for a while.

 


	17. Shining Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get bad news about your work, and after a promise Grillby decided to you show something.

 

It was only early afternoon when you went out of the studio building again. Your hair was still styled, but at least you were back into your own outfit and the make up was off, too. Grillby was already waiting for you, but didn't notice you at first. He seemed slightly impatient, looking down to his phone to check the time. For a moment you wondered what happened to his wrist watch, but he noticed you before you could ponder more.

 

In an instant his impatient attidued fell off of him, and he hurried to you to hug you once again. Grillby usually was clingy, and you were used to it, but he never was that clingy. You giggled as he began to sway you from side to side, his fire crackling in a happy manner.  
"Sorry that it took so long." you said, still swaying with him. You felt how his head shook.  
"No no, it's alright. It's not your fault." he assured you, then began to plant small kisses on your cheek and your temple. You couldn't help but giggle more. His warm lips were leaving the familiar sensation of warmth and tingles on your skin.

  
  
"Hey, why so cuddly today?" you asked amused. He nuzzled your cheek for a second.  
"Just... what you said back there meant so much to me, my dear." he explained and squeezed you for a moment. It wasn't hurtful, not at all. He was always careful to never hurt you. "And to think that we still got so much time together!" You could hear how the fire crackles intensified, and you smiled widely, too. He was right. You two still had so much time left.

 

You asked him what he wanted to do, but he shook his head. "I don't mind what we do. We can do anything you want." he said.  
You pulled away a little so he could see your smile as you said the next words. "It's always about me, sunny. You care so much for me, and I enjoy it, I really do. But I want to make sure that you aren't forgotten in our relationship. So let's do something you'd like." you told him. Sometimes you had the urge to care for him, too. Sometimes you wanted to make sure that he felt pampered and cared for, just like he made you feel this way.

 

After a moment of just looking at you he nodded slowly, but his fire was bright and flickered highly, telling you that he was smiling. "Well. I don't wish for much. I would... If it's alright for you, could we go to my place and watch another movie?" he asked silently, almost unsure. You only smiled and nodded.  
"That sounds fantastic." you told him and took his hand in yours. His flames flickered even higher at this.

 

The two of you made your way to his apartment. Grillby quickly went to check on the bar. Sometimes human came to vandalize parts of the town, and Grillby had told you that he had to replace a window once. But everything was alright, and he came back to unlock the door to the building.  
  
  
  
You immediately felt at home again when you entered his apartment. This time there was no dishes on the table, but you didn't expect that. After all it was rather spontaneous that you came here, but you were glad you did. Grillby helped you out f your coat again, then lead you to the couch. He told you to choose a movie while he was gone for a moment. You weren't really sure what he wanted to watch, but you went to the animation part of the library. Maybe he would enjoy another movie by Dreamworks or Pixars.

  
  
It wasn't long before Grillby returned, his arms laden with a blanket and pillows. He also wore something more comfortable for him: a long sleeved shirt and long sweatpants. He threw the blanket over you so you were fully hidden by it. With a giggle you dug your head out of it and lifted an end to invite Grillby. He didn't need a second hint and sat down next to you. You draped the blanket over him, too, so the two of you were buried in a nest of pillows and the blanket. His warmth was more than enough to make evrything cozy and comfy. You were ready to have a good movie marathon. Well, almost.

 

Before you could even ask what he wanted to watch he had pulled you closer to him. Like the first time when you had cuddled with him on the couch he pulled you to his chest, wrapping an arm around your shoulder. He leaned back, so that you could slipped a little until you came to rest against his side, with your head there were his collarbone would be. You could hear the faint humming again, still vibrating with so much life and energy. Now that you both were settled in a comfortable position - you leaning against his side while his arm was draped over your shoulder - you could ask him what movie he wanted to see.

 

"Well, you're right with animation." he said and looked at the variety of movies for a moment. "I'm not sure why, but I do enjoy the innocence of these movies. I've been watching a few after we saw the first one together." He then pointed to a movie that was well known to you, another one of your favorites. "This one looks interesting, with the small robot."  
"Oh, this is a cute movie!" you exclaimed and pressed play. You couldn't wait to watch this happy and funny movie with him. Grillby chuckled slitghly at your enthusiasm.  
"Well, it surely won't be as cute as you." he whispered in your ear before he buried his face into your hair again, nuzzling the top of your head. You felt yourself blush a little and you squeezed his side. It wasn't often that he made a direct compliment towards your appearance, not with words anyways. He always showed that he liked how you looked nontheless: his flames shot up whenever you showed up, or he ran his hand up your arm and down again, feeling some of the muscles underneath your clothes.

 

But when he commented you on your looks you always found yourself blushing. You weren't really used to someone calling you cute or handsome. You especially weren't used to hear it from someone you liked so much, or who was good looking themselves. So hearing it from Grillby meant a lot to you.

 

The movie started, and you got drawn into it again. You laughed when the little robot found an expensive looking ring in a little casket and then threw the ring away, instead eyeing the little casket. Grillby was a little shocked that it threw a diamond ring away, but you told him that it didn't have any value for the small robot.

This went on for a while, you and Grillby cuddling while watching the movie, sometimes commenting something on it. You shifted positions a little, and soon Grillby was on top of you again, his head resting on your chest, right over the place where your heart was. He hummed in contentment once he could hear your heartbeat again. His flames were flickering brightly and slowly, showing how relaxed he was. You were, too, so it was understandable that you were startled when your phone began to ring. That was a rarity.

 

You picked it up once you saw that it was your friendly co-worker, the one who was ready to switch your free days so you could hang out with Grillby. You greeted them cheerfully, knowing that their shift was over since a while now. They greeted back, asking how you were doing and how your boyfriend was doing, too. Of course you had told them how the date went, and that you needed this day again to go on an interview. They were very understanding when it came to the fact that your boyfriend was a monster. They were just happy that you found someone, no matter what species.

  
  
After you both had exchanged some polite chit chat you thanked them again that you got this day off, too. Grillby made a gesture to get your attention, and you got the hint. You thanked your co-worker in Grillby's name, too.

  
  
"Yes, uh, about that..." they started and suddenly they didn't sound so happy anymore. Your mind set itself in alarm mode. "The boss spoke about it today. Um, she said that she wouldn't allow something like that. You know she gave you a warning last week already..."  
"But when I explained to her why she said it's okay!" you said and sat up a little, which made Grillby alarmed as well. He stopped the movie, and the sudden silence in the room made the whole situation intense.

 

"Appearantly it isn't." your co-worker said in a sorry tone. "And with you coming late to to work almost every day... she said something about one last chance."  
"But... it's only five minutes. I can't change the time of when the tram arrives. I can't tell the motorman to go faster just because of me. I talked with the boss about it and she said it's fine, too!" you felt slight panic coming up your spine. You knew that finding a job at these times were hard. There were companies who welcomed monsters, maybe a little too much. They prefered monsters over humans, so the space for other worker got rarer and rarer. You weren't really qualified for some places, too. And you didn't want to end somewhere scrubbing the toilets. You still had some standards.

 

"I'm really sorry." your co-worker now said, and you sighed. It wasn't fair to take it out on them. It wasn't their fault.  
"No, it's okay. I am sorry I got loud." you said and rubbed your face. "Not your fault. Thank you for telling me, tho. I really really appreciate it."  
You two exchanged some goodbye's before you hung up. You stared at your phone for a while. The words still lingered in your mind, and what they meant was a burden to your thoughts. One last chance, and if you made a mistakes, then you would be fired.

 

Grillby in front of you was barely moving. His flames were dim and flickering quickly, signaling that he was feeling slightly stressed. When you looked at his he gave you a helpless smile, his mouth was visible ever since you had entered his home. When you didn't smile back his faltered instantly.

 

"They told me what my boss said to them." you told him, and you noticed how miserable your voice sounded. "My boss said that if I make one more mistake I'm fired." You gulped a little as fear took over. Sure, your job wasn't your dream job, and you didn't earn a fortune with it, the opposite actually. But it was still a job, something that would give you a possibility to buy food, clothes and other essentials. It also made sure you could pay the rent for your flat. And now all of that was endangered.

 

When you began to stiffen up more and more, Grillby took you in his arms. The warm embrace calmed you down a little, and so did his soothing voice.  
"We'll find a solution." he mumbled in your ear. "Right now you still have your job."  
"B-but for how long?" you mumbled back. "I could lose it any day! And finding a job these days is hard!" You buried your face in his neck. He was so dim that you could barely see any light behind your closed eye lids. Usually it was still bright when you had your eyes closed when you were around him. Now there was only darkness.

 

"I'll help you." Grillby reassured you. And this was all it took to calm you down. He was right. No matter what will happen, you weren't alone with it. There was Grillby at your side now, supporting and caring as ever.

You almost flopped against him as your body relaxed again. You wrapped your arms around him as well, wanting to show how much you appreciated his help. His hands ran up and down your back, warming you up more. "No matter what, we can do it." he mumbled more in a soothing manner, and you nodded. You believed him. Once again you got the feeling that you could manage any problem as long as he was with you.

 

You two stayed like this for a while, just reassuring that you're there for each other. You didn't know what you would have done if he wouldn't have been there with you. Probably you would've cried and imagined every worst case scenerios there are. But now you knew that even if everything came worse than you imagined, he was there with you.  
After a while he asked you if you wanted to continue to watch the movie, and you nodded. You needed a little distraction. Once again he surprised you with knowing exactly what you wanted and needed.

 

This time it was you who snuggled closer to Grillby, but he helped you by wrapping both of his arms around your waist and pulling you closer to him in a gentle, but also protective manner. Your head came to rest against his chest again, so you could hear the soothing humming of his core. Sooner or later the problem of almost losing your job slipped off your mind, and you let it happen. Right now you just wanted to enjoy the moment. Both you and Grillby have been rather busy, so you both hadn't cuddled like this ever since the date.

 

The movie continued, and when the two robots danced in spaced you lifted yourself up a little to kiss his lips for a moment. It was a tender and a sweet kiss, showing him how much he meant to you. He might have been a little confused about the sudden kiss, but he still enjoyed it. But afterwards he gave you an amused look.  
"Thank you. For just... being here with me." you said softly. His smile grew a little wider and warmer.  
"Of course, dear. I'll always be here for you." he mumbled back. "If you ever need me, I'm here. no matter what time, no matter what place. I'm here."

 

He pressed you even closer as he said it, squeezing you gently and softly. You squeezed him back, both of your arms wrapped around his chest.  
"Same." you mumbled. "I'm also here for you, always. Promise." You felt how he buried his face in your hair, staying there for a moment.  
"Do not promise that." he whispered, and you knew instantly that he wasn't fully comfortable. He didn't whisper to save the moment and the amosphere, he was quiet because he didn't feel completly safe. "I had hard times to go through and those... well, they leave scars. And sometimes those tear open..." he said, and he sounded miserable. "I try my best to keep it to myself. I won't put anything of it on your shoulders."

 

When you turned your head you could see how dim he was, and he looked like he wanted to hide everything from you, just for your own sake. But you knew that keeping things like that to yourself can be very hurtful and depressing. So you reached your hands up to his cheeks to cup them and looked him in his eyes.  
"I promise you," you started with your warmest and softest voice. "I'll be here for you, no matter what. I'll never be afraid of you and I'll never be sick of you. You mean so much to me, you really do. And I accept you with all your small and big scars, even if they tear up from time to time."

 

He looked at you for a moment, as if he wants to memorize every inch of your face. Then he suddenly pulled you to him, and his kiss is protective. Even when you pulled away to gasp for air he continued to plant kisses on your nose, cheeks, forehead and under your eyes. You tried your best to cope with all of it, but soon you giggled, trying to playfully shoo him away.

 

You were so happy when you heard him chuckle, and you felt how he held you a little tighter so you couldn't pull yourself away. Soon the two of you started a tickle war, and you seemed to lose it. You laughed and wiggled, trying to get out of his grip, but he was much stronger than you. But he was still careful to not hurt you.  
At one moment you wiggled so much that you smacked your hands on his face. He made a small 'Ouf!' sound and stopped tickling you. His glasses flew off his face and onto the floor, luckily staying intact.

 

Immediately one of his hands flew over his eyes, hiding them again. You instantly stopped giggling and apologized, worried that you had hurt him.  
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just, could you get my glasses?" he asked and chuckled slightly, his flames were still bright and crackled loudly, telling you that he was alright. You wiggled out of the nest of blankets and pillow and reached to get them. As he got them back he put them back on in a swift motion. The glass reflected his flames, so the eyes wee hidden again.

 

He noticed your stare and turned a slight blue color, and you had the urge to apologize. He shook his head, but looked away for a moment.  
"I am sure you are wondering why I hide my eyes." he said, but he didn't whisper or lowered his voice. So he was still feeling alright. His fire was bright, too. You just shrugged at his statement.  
"I do, but you surely have your reason why you do hide them." you said and wanted to snuggle with him again, but he made a gesture to tell you to wait a moment.

 

It looked like he was deciding something, and he chose to tell you why he does. "Back when we had to fight in the war I didn't wear those." he started as he turned back to you. But instead of being bitter and sad about the topic he was smiling to you, knowing that you would understand and support him, no matter what. "And the humans told stories about me. About Hellfire, the being that climbed out of hell to bring it to the humans. I've heard more than once how they said that the devil lived in my eyes. That just one look from my eyes could burn hundreds of humans. And when we came to the Underground and when I recovered from my injuries monsters continued the stories. They said they could see the burning villages in my eyes." He made a small pause, and you took the chance to speak up.

"They were afraid. Humans tend to tell stories about things that scare them. It makes the thing easier to understand and to work with. We also tell stories about big and scary wolves, and witches and creatures that lurk in the dark." you said and scooted a little closer to him. You were glad that he told you what people had told about him. It wasn't nice to hear, and it must be even worse for him. "I'm sorry, tho. It must be hard to hear things like that about you."

 

He nodded. "It is. And that's why I started to hide my eyes. Sooner or later monsters would forget how they looked like, and so the stories died down, too. It's a habit now and I... I'm kind of afraid to show my eyes at all. I'm worried that the stories will come back."  
"I understand." you simply said and kissed his cheek to emphasize your words. You would never push him to do anything he didn't want to. And after his last words you were surprised when he said: "But I'd like you to see. I know you won't be afraid and I would like to hear what you think..." he mumbled. You were surprised by it, ad felt honored. Honored that he trusted you so much. And you were sure that you could make him happier if he showed you.

 

So you nodded, and his smile grew. His flames flickered quickly when he lifted his hands to take off his glasses. And as they finally were off you gasped for a moment, but not out of fear.  
White glowing eyes looked back at you, brighter than his flames ever could be. They shone like white stars, literally, bright and white and constant. Driplets that looked like lava danced around in them as pupils that were currently focused on your face. You must have made an awed face, since his eyes shifted from an fearful look to a loving one. You got closer and cupped his cheeks to hold his face still, looking back into the whiteness of his eyes. You could see that this whiteness swirled a little as well, as if they were made out of pure molten silver. Only the pupils were a darker shade of yellow.

 

"You're so beautiful..." you whispered, trying to take everything in. His eyes were shining at you, so did his fire. He warmed you whenever he was close to you and made the darkest night bright. His smile grew bigger at your words, and you could see how his eyes squinted a little in happiness. He pulled you into a hug and pressed you closely to him. You grumbled playfully, muttering a "Hey I wasn't done looking!". He only laughed and hugged you more.  
"You're beautiful as well. So so beautiful." he mumbled as he buried his face in your hair again, this time there were no glasses that bumped on your head. You felt how he kisses the top of your head several time before letting go of you.

 

You looked in his eyes for a moment before going back to cuddle with him. His grip on you was a little more protective than earlier, but still so comfortable and gentle like ever before. When you turned your head a little you could see his face, now facing forward to watch the movie again. The two of you missed a good piece of it, but you didn't mind.

 

You loved to see his eyes. You could see every expression in them, and his pupils grew bigger and smaller when he chuckled a little. You loved it. You loved him. This confession to yourself shocked you a little, but then you calmed down. Of course you loved him. You loved every single thing about him. And his eyes easily became your favorite part about him. This and his loving personality.

 


	18. Moving In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your worst assumption came true, but Grillby is there to help you. And he succeeds.

 

You had an awesome evening with Grillby. Sure, you two didn't do much than watch movies and then eat a quick dinner he prepared. It wasn't as grand as the first dinner you had here, but it was still delicious.  
You loved being at his apartment with him. He was so free and didn't hide anything anymore, not even his eyes. You loved to see him like this, so careless about his voice and words. He never said anything that could be considered stupid or thoughtless, but he spoke more freely when he was alone with you.

 

But just like it was with your first day you had to go. You went a little earlier that day, to the chagrin of Grillby. Once again he grumbled when you had to get up, holding you closer and in place on the couch. He had his eyes closes, small white lines in the face of fire.  
"Nooo..." he whined playfully as you wiggled. "Five more minutes."  
You laughed at his and ruffled his fire. "Don't start that game again."  
"I'll always start that game." he mumbled and shifted a little so he could hold you closer to him. "As long as gives it me a little more time to stay with you..."

  
And so you did, for another thirty minutes. But then you told Grillby you really had to go if you wanted to arrive in time at work tomorrow. He walked you home again, keeping you warm by staying close to your side. At your door he gave you a long goodbye's kiss, only to stay until your door closed.

 

The next day you woke up extra early to get to work in time. But just like you said, you couldn't change how fast the tram was going. Even if you ran from the station to your workplace, you got there some minutes too late. You hoped no one saw, but of course they did, and you were called to your boss only an hour after you started to work.

 

You went there with a bad feeling, and really, you were right: your boss wasn't in the best mood ever. She told you that your permanent habit of coming too late was drifting off to others. She said that if you got away with it all the time the others think they got away, too. You never noticed how anyone else came too late, to be honest, so you were confused.  
"And then there is the problem of you exchanging the free days with another co-worker without asking me first." she continued.  
"But, Ma'am." you tried to talk sense into her. "I did explain you why I did it. My co-worker was alright with it, and I did work on my usual day off, so all my work quota got fulfilled. It's not like I took her day and my day off."  
"But you still haven't asked for my permission, _____. Now others will think they can do the same, since you got away twice with it. And for a reason that cannot be called to have the upmost importance."  
"It was important to me!" you tried to explain and wanted to say more, but your boss didn't care.

 

"This... _monster_ might be important to you, but it is not for your work." she said and almost spit out the word monster. Oh. You understood now. She didn't like that you were in a relationship with a monster. Her next words made this even cleaerer. "We can't allow to let people take their day off whenever they want simply because they want to go on a date with _those things_." she said spitefully.

  
  
" _He is not a thing._ " you snapped back. At this moment you didn't care if you lost your job. You had expected it today. And oyu weren't ready to work for a racist woman who is divorced twice. She probably had no idea how love worked anyways. "He is a caring and loving person."  
"No. He is a _monster_. Something that shouldn't even exist!" she said, louder now. You felt your own anger rise. You surely didn't want to work here anymore, not if your boss thinks that way.  
"I don't care what you think. _I quit_." you said and stood up. "You'll get the papers soon."

  
And with that, you left the room, slightly proud of you. Sure, you lost your job, but you would've quit anyways as soon as you would've find out about her racist opinion about monsters.  
But even by the fact that you didn't have to show up there anymore, your final walk home felt weird. When your co-worker shift was over you would tell them that you had quit, and you hoped they were okay. But it looked like the boss was only angry at you, for being always late and for having a monster boyfriend. And after all, it was you who had asked your co-worker to exchange the free days, and not them. So they should be okay.

 

As you got off the tram you thought what to do now. You wanted nothing more than go to Grillby, but you knew it was still early for him. Monday evening was the time when he check all the financial stuff of the bar and checked the stockings. Stuff you had no idea about, but you knew it must be tiring and must take a long time to do. Which is why Grillby liked to sleep in on Tuesdays.  
Still, there was a chance that he was already awake. You sent a test message to him, but you got no response. So he was still asleep, that lucky fire. With heavy steps you went home to have a hot shower, and maybe you could already look on the internet to see if you were lucky and found another job that suited you.

 

The hot shower felt good, and it washed away the memories about the unpleasant conversation with your boss. Feeling refreshed and a little better you went to check your phone to see if Grillby had answered you. Indeed he did, asking how your day was. You immediately wanted to go to his place. You might feel a little better, but you still felt down. So you sent him a message asking if it was okay for you to come over. You the answer that sure, you could but shouldn't you be working? Quickly you wrote that you had lost your job and that you didn't want to be alone right now. He responded that he's waiting for you.

 

So you forgot the job searching and slipped in something comfortable. Since your hair was still wet you put on a warm hat and went to Gillby's apartment.  
As soon as you arrived the door opened and he hurried out to hug you. His warmth was soothing you more and warmed you up. You were incredibly cold and upset, so it was clear that you shivered. Grillby noticed and quickly lead you inside and upstairs. He didn't say much, but he gently pushed you to the couch. You could already see that it had been turned into a nest made out of blankets and pillows. You slipped into it and waited for Grillby to join you, but he vanished for a moment. When he came back he had a big mug in his warm hands, full of delicious hot chocolate. In his other hand he had a small bowl filled with cookies. You couldn't help but smile at his caring manner. He placed everything on the table that stood in front of the couch and then slipped under the blankets so he was close to you. You grabbed the chocolate and one cookies and enjoyed those for a moment.

 

Grillby placed a hand on your back and rubbed soothing circles on it. This familiar gesture made you feel a lot better already, and the chocolate and the sweet treat made it all good. It was nice to be cared for when you felt down.  
When you finished your drink and your cookie Grillby asked you what happened, silently. He wasn't happy to see you feeling down and upset. His dim flames showed that, and so did his conerned look. He didn't wear any glasses, and you were glad about this. His white eyes were soothing you more.

 

You silently told him what had happened at work, and you didn't lie when it came to the statements of your boss.  
"I don't want to work there anymore anyways." you said. "Stupid boss. I don't want to work for someone who is racist and bitter. Did I tell you that she's divorced twice?"  
"Not really a surprise. Who would like to stay with her?" he said, and you giggled a little at this. He was right. "She sounds like someone I'd be more than happy to shake hands with, but oh, I'd make my hands burn."  
You knew he was only making fun, but you gentle nudged him in the shoulder. "Don't say that, that's mean!" but your giggle gave away that you wouldn't find it too bad at all.

 

You two stayed silent for a while. You simply enjoyed his presence: his bright fire was warming you up in the best way possible, and the soft crackling of it was familiar and beloved. You appreciated that he was here with you so much. The whole situation would be a lot worse if you were alone in your small flat.  
But soon you started to think. What should you do now? You had only a small amount of saved money. Clearly not enough to pay for more than two months of your rent. You had to find a new job, and that quickly.  
You told this Grillby, and he said he had a laptop you could use. He really wanted to help you to find a job. So he went to get his computer while you thought of possible jobs. You weren't sure if you wanted to do the same as before, but it was something you were familiar with and you were qualified for. Before you could make a more precise decision the fire monster returned, in his hand a laptop.

  
  
As it booted up he took your hand in is and spoke up. His voice was unsure and quiet.  
"____... before we go on and try to find something for you I wanted to ask you something." he began and looked at you, his bright eyes looking questioningly and loving to you.  
"Sure, sunny. Anything." you assured him and squeezed his hand. You had no idea what he wanted to ask, but you would answer him truthfully.  
"Well, I've seen your flat already. And not that it isn't quite homey and I am sure it can be comfy, too, but it is very small. And I saw how your stuff barely fit in it." he continued. You nodded and sighed. He was right, but you couldn't really change it. It was affordable and something that would provide a roof above your head. Before you could say more Grillby made a suggestion: "How about you move in? I know you haven't been here so often yet, and we aren't a couple since a long time. But you wouldn't have to worry about the rent anymore, and you would have more space, too."

  
  
You wanted to scream 'Yes!', but again, Grillby was faster. "This is only a suggestion, my dear. I only want to know that you are safe and comfortable. If you prefer to stay at your home, then that's fine as well. It really is."  
You smiled up at him, stunned that he had the urge to add that part. Then you pulled him into a big hug. "I'd love to move in here." you said and kissed his cheek. You could hear his fire burst when he began to chuckle.  
"Oh, I am so happy you said yes!" he laughed and pulled you closer to him. "It's always so great to have you here, and to think that you'll be here every day...!" He laughed even more at this and kissed your cheek back.

 

You, too, were really happy about this. Not only because you didn't have to worry to end up homeless, but also because you loved to be close to Grillby. The thought of being near to him every day made you excited and giddy. And it looked like he wanted to jump right to the action. He let go of you and fought his way out of the blankets and the pillows.  
"Let's get your stuff. I have enough space, everything will fit in. Except maybe your furniture..." he mumbled at the end and looked around in his apartment. You laughed at how big and bright his fire flickered. You climbed out of the blanket nest, too.  
"I don't know how to transport all of my stuff." you said. In the worst case you had to walk for more than 3 times from your apartment to his.  
"I have a car we can use." he said. When he saw your surprised face he chuckled. "What? Do you think I carry all the groceries for the bar? I just don't like to use it that much. But we can use it to get everything you need, my dear."

So it was decided. The two of you got in his car and drove off to your flat. His car wasn't anything special, but it was big enough to fit all of the essential stuff in it. Once you arrived - it took only some minutes - you unlocked the door and got in. Grillby brought two big suitcases with him, and you told him that he could pack some clothes of he wanted to. He nodded and went to do that.

 

You packed some other essentials. Tooth bush, shampoo, towels and so on. When this was done you went over your hobbies. You wanted to take your favorite books with you and decided to get the laptop as well. Once you had the most important stuff you turned around to see how Grillby was doing.  
He folded every piece he decided to pack in neatly, and as you turned around he was currently holding your comfy sweatpants. You went over to help him, and to your shame you saw that he had already packed some underwear. But you quickly shoved the embarrassment away from you. There was nothing to be ashamed of. Not with him at least.

 

Soon you were done with this bag, too, and you carried it to his car. You didn't have much essentials. Most of the stuff that occupied your flat were the furniture that was too big for this small home.You would decide what you could keep from the furniture and what you would donate or throw away later.

  
  
Through the whole time Grillby was in a very good mood. His fire shone bright and flickered highly, showing how content and excited he was to have you move in. You were happy, too. Of course the bad feeling of being jobless lingered in the back of your mind, but you were sure you would manage this too.

  
  
Once you arrived back at his apartment he almost jumped out of the car. He hurried over to your side to open the door for you. As you got out you made sure to give him a kiss on his cheek as a thanks. And before you could get one suitcase yourself he had grabbed them both, and you were once again surprised by his strength. He carried them as if they were filled with feathers and not books and clothes. He locked his car and went to the building. You asked if he needed any help, but he simply shook his head as he unlocked the door to his apartment house.

 

You followed him, feeling a little too excited by all of this. You really hoped it was alright for Grillby that you moved in. Sure, he looked happy and excited, just like you were, but everyone could put on an act. Then again. He had never done this, trying to hide his emotions from you, that is. So why should you think he does it now?

 

Maybe it was too good to be true. Sure, you had lost your job, but right now you could only look forward. You would be spending more time with Grillby now, and you didn't have to go to the middle of the town every day from now on. The tickets for the tram were too expensive anyways. You could try to find a job closer to this place, so you didn't have to go a long way everyday

 

As you two were back in his apartment Grillby put the suitcases next to the couch for now. His laptop was still up and running, but he ignored it for now.  
"Let me show you your new home!" he said and took your hands. He was warm and bright from all the excitement he felt. He was so happy and relieved that you had agreed to his suggestion. The thought of having you here each and everyday made him almost jump in happiness.

 

He can't remember when he last felt like this. So young, so full of energy and so in love. He loved you, he loved each and every part of you. Maybe he didn't knew you for so long, but it was like he had known you for so much longer. He knew your personality, he knew exactly what you liked and what not, and he knew how to make you happy. Who cared about your origin or all those small pieces of informations that consisted of numbers, dates and names. To him it was more important to get to know who you were, and not what your personal informations are.

 

So it was easy for him to truly love you. The last week had been the best he had since such a long time. You made his fire burn brighter, just by smiling to him. He could feel his core hum louder when you were close, and his magic grew and grew in a wonderful way.  
Monsters were faster to fall in love, anyways. It was their open and friendly behavior that made it easier for them to get to know each other. Humans always were stiff and formal when they met someone new. They had the urge to know certain things first before they were ready to fall in love. Not monsters. If they knew how the person they liked worked and behaved they could find themselves drawn closer to them.

 

So it was understandable that it didn't took Grillby long to realize how important you are to him, and the wish to have you closer for a longer time grew stronger and stronger. And when he heard that you had lost your job he knew how he could help. He would do anything to help you. He had promised that, just like you had promised to be there for him. And now he could be here for you, all the time.

 

These thoughts ran through his mind as he showed you his apartment. Your apartment. It belonged to you now as well.  
First was the kitchen. It was an average one, only the stove had been exchanged shortly before he got to meet you. It was an invention by Dr. Alphys, developed and finished on the surface. It allowed to be used in a human way - with electricity - and in a monster way by using magic. Grillby explained to you how it worked by demonstrating the two modes. You nodded and seemed to understand, the ever present smile plastered on your face. He could see that you were excited, too. He was so happy about this. When he made the suggestion he was afraid you would be angry at him and that you would tell him that it was way too early to ask you that. But you didn't. You were even as excited as him!  
  
  
  
After you had inspected the kitchen a little he dragged you along. He showed you the bath again, even by the fact that you already knew where it was. But you were glad that he did have the idea to buy some toilet paper. He didn't have to use the bathroom, and to his embarrassment you had an uncomfortable first encounter with his bathroom. But now everything was fine, he hoped so at least.  
  
  
  
The next stop was his bedroom. It wasn't anything special, but he just wanted to show you that there was enough space for the two of you. Ever since he had retired from the war he had slept in a big bed. First to give him enough space for when dreams about the war came in, since he would kick and wiggle when he had nightmares. Later he just enjoyed the large bed for its coziness. And he wanted nothing more than share this coziness with you. He just wanted to be near to you and cuddle with you when he slept, and wake up to see you next to him.

 

But he knew how intimate it was to sleep in the same bed, so he had to make sure if it was alright with you.  
"If you aren't comfortable with staying together at night I'll sleep on the couch." he said reassuringly. But to his relief you shook your head.  
"It's okay. I mean, the bed's big enough and I feel safe around you." you said and leaned against his side. He immediately wrapped his arms around you. He would never do anything you didn't want, but he was happy that you would stay close to him at night as well.

  
  
After standing there together for a while he showed you were you could store your things. He had to move some of his clothes around to make enough space for yours, but it all fit in. So did your books and your other personal belongings. The unpacking was like a ritual to him, a task that fully announced your moving in. It made him realize what it all meant: that you stay with him, and that you would wait for him when he came home. You would be there when he would wake up and he could care for you every day. The thought of all this made his flames flicker higher, and you noticed this.

 

You moved over to him and wrapped your arms around his neck in your usual gentle and sweet manner. He leaned down to give you a kiss, a small one to show how much he appreciate that you were close to him.  
"Thank you for letting me stay." you mumbled as you rested your head on his shoulder. He pressed you closer to him, enjoying you to have you this close.  
"Of course, my dear. I'm so glad to have you here." he said back, too happy to lower his voice. You giggled a little at his happy tone.  
"I'm glad to be here, too. I really like it here." you lifted your head a little so he could see your smile. It was his favorite: it was true and wide, and your eyes sparkled because you were so happy. And your soul vibrated with this positive vibe even stronger now. He loved to see you liked this.

 

He had the urge to tell you, to say how much he loved you. How important you were to him and how happy you made him feel. But he knew it was too early. There was a difference in liking someone like you liked him, and in loving someone. And he knew that humans took longer to love someone like he loved you. But he had time. From now on he and you had all the time you needed.

 

He kissed your forehead as he thought of this. He couldn't imagine to ever end this wonderful relationship with you. It was so healthy, so happy and good, for both of you.

 


	19. Of Magic And Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You learn more about monsters and magic as you spent the day at the bar. Sadly, some of your friends had to leave early and you hope that they'll be alright

The rest of the day was spent with the goal of searching for a new job. And it looked like Grillby made it his duty to find the best job for you possible. Once he knew what you were qualified for he searched the whole internet together with you. And not just that, he even got the newspapers from today and looked through the job part in hopes to find something. He showed you some promising ones, and you circled it with a red marker. You thought people only did that on TV, but here you were.

 

While he was studying the newspapers more you searched on the internet. You found some promising ones as well and with Grillby's permission you bookmarked those. They weren't perfect, and you even found yourself bookmarking an offer from a fast food restaurant that was in the next district, but it was better than nothing. At least you tried to solve your problem.

 

Soon you were tired out though, and you let out a heavy sigh. While you were rubbing your eyes you could feel one of Grillby's warm hands rubbing your back.  
"Want to call it a day?" he asked and looked at the clock. The whole day wasn't even half over. He had to open his bar in two hours. You were surprised that it wasn't later. But it was hard for you to lay down your 'work' while you knew that he had to go down and prepare for opening up in an hour. But then again you couldn't do much more, so you nodded. You would write some application tomorrow, or later that evening if you felt up to it.

 

He was happy to see that you knew your limits and he turned off his computer. "Are you hungry?" he asked, but you shook your head. It wasn't really dinner time yet, and even by the fact that you had missed lunch you didn't feel hungry. Maybe it was the excitement of the day.

 

Grillby didn't really know what to do now. But you did. You opened your arms and made small grabbing motions with your hands. He understood instantly and flopped next to you on the couch. You snuggled closer happily as he wrapped his arms around your waist. You two didn't really do much more than cuddle for the next half hour. You just wanted to be close to him. You just wanted to feel his warmth, take in his familiar scent and listen to his soft crackling fire. You would never grow tired of it all. All of it meant that he was happy and alive, and that he loved you back.

 

But after the thirty minutes he told you that he had to go and prepare. He was still in comfortable clothes and had to switch to his bartender outfit. You grumbled a little and you suddenly understood in what position he had been whenever you had to go first.  
"Five more minutes..." you muttered and snuggled closer to him, your head resting in the crook of his neck. You could feel his chest vibrate with his chuckle.  
"Now you're starting that game." he said and squeezed you for a moment. "But I really should go in five minutes." You only nodded and smiled.

 

So when the five minutes were over you let go of him, but did so rather reluctantly. Only knowing that he would be right downstairs and would be back at night made you let him go. You stayed a little longer in the nest of blankets and pillows until he came back, now in his fine bartender outfit. He was still fidgeting with his bow tie a little. You had the urge to jump and help him - like they always did in movies - but you had no idea how to bind a bowtie. You even didn't really know how to bind a normal tie.

 

But with swift and fast motion his bowtie was fixed and looked perfect. He noticed your look on him and gave you a big smile, his white teeth visible. He came over to you and gave you a small kiss. "I'll be downstairs." he said before giving you another kiss. "If you need anything you can write me a message or come down as well."  
You had an idea. "Can't I come now?" you asked. Grillby looked at you a little questioning, but then nodded. You just didn't want to be alone. And maybe you could help him a little? You didn't really know how, but at least you could be with him again.

 

So you went to brush your hair a little before going downstairs with him. His apartment was directly connected to the bar by the only stairwell in his apartment. You hadn't noticed it because it was hidden behind a door at the end of the short hallway, where the doors to his bedroom, bathroom and closet were. But now you walked it down and you found yourself in yet another hallway. Once again it was seperated from the stairs by a door which he locked as you entered the hallway. You could see two other doors and a big archway. You recognized one door, the one at the other end of the short hallway. It lead to the bar.

 

You followed him there and looked around a little. It was weird to see the bar empty and deserted. All the chairs were standing on the tables and the lights were out. The jukebox was silent as well, but it was the first thing that Grillby changed. After some tune began to play he went to take all the chairs off the tables.  
"Can I help you with that?" you asked and moved to the other table. Grillby thanked you dearly and both of you continued to get the bar ready. There were things you couldn't do, like prepare some food so it could be easier and faster served. But he suggested that you could clean some glasses while he was in the kitchen. It wasn't an order, nor was it a request, really. It was simply a suggestion and it was up to you if you wanted to do it or not.

 

But you wanted to help, so you went behind the bar, took a piece of cloth and a glass and began to polish it. As you lifted your head you could see every single seat from here. It was weird to be the one standing behind the bar, and not sitting in front of it. You imagined what it would be like to stand here while the bar was full and living, able to see every costumer and taking their orders. To mix drinks and listen to guests. It was a weirdly comfortable and pleasant thought.

 

The door to the bar opened and you turned your head to look at Grillby. He stopped in his tracks and looked back. His eyes and his mouth were hidden again, but you could tell that he was smiling brightly. As he didn't move or say anything you spoke up.  
"Is something wrong?" you asked and looked down to your hands. You hoped you were doing it right. Sure, polishing a glass wasn't the hardest task, but you were doubting your cleaning skills now. But he quickly reassured you that everything was fine.  
"You just look great." he said as he came to you and planted a kiss on your forehead. You giggled.  
"Well, not as great as you!" you tugged slightly at his bowtie to emphasize his words. He always looked great, but the bartender outfit really suited him.

 

He just blushed at this, only a slightest bit of blue, but you could feel him smiling at you. Then he took another rag and another glass and joined in the polishing task. It was nice to help him out a little. Sure you weren't as quick as him, but that didn't matter. He seemed to be content, to say the least. His flames were flickering highly and brightly, and the crackling was soft and constant. From time to time he would look over to you and you could see his fire burst a little when you returned the look and smiled to him.

 

When opening time arrived you two put down the rags and glasses. You went to sit on your usual spot at the bar, and he went to open the front door. A few minutes passed, but then Doggo already came in. He was surprised to find you here already and greeted you. He sat down to the stool next to you to wait for the other dog monsters.  
"What are you doing here so early? Shouldn't you be at work?" he asked after he greeted Grillby as well. "You aren't sick again, are you?"  
"No no, don't worry." you quickly told him so he wouldn't worry. "I, uh, quit. My boss isn't the nicest person."  
"Oh geez, what happened?"

 

So you told Doggo the little story. Although he was mad to hear the statements of your boss he was happy to hear that you had moved in with Grillby. You only told this last part after you had the silent permission of said fire monster to do so. Your relationship with him was no secret, but you still weren't sure what was okay to say and what was not. It felt like you wanted to be in the center of everything, but you surely didn't want that. After all, Grillby was much more interesting than you.

 

The other dog monsters arrived somewhat half an hour later, greeting you and Doggo. Lesser Dog was with them too, and he was excited to see you again. You gave him a good pat on the head as a greeting. Your friends were wondering about you being here so early as well, and you had to tell the whole story again. Doggo made some derisive comments about your boss, and usually you would have considered them rude, but you had to agree with him. And after everyone knew you had a place to stay they relaxed again.

 

You soon joined them all in a game of poker, happy to be able to spend some time with your friends again. Grillby mostly took all of your time now, and you loved it. You loved spending time with him as much as possible, but you had missed your friends. Of course, sometimes you went over to the to talk and chat, but you hadn't played a good game of poker ever since you got together with Grillby. So it really was overdue now.

 

You lost, of course, since Sans wasn't there who could take the last place. But like always you didn't mind. But after the first round you got a sidekick.  
Since there were no other guests yet Grillby decided to join you. As he sat down next to you he earned some confused looks by the dogs. You also looked a little bewildered. He looked into the round a little before everyone gasped as he spoke up.  
"Gentlemen, Dogaressa. Would you mind if I joined you in a game?" he said, almost whispered. Everyone just stared at him for a moment. Lesser Dog didn't really understand the importance of this situation - after all Grillby spoke up to the group of dog monsters for the first time - and he wanted to go and lick the fire monster's face. With quick reflexes he scotted away and placed a gentle hand on the dog's chest to keep him from licking his face. He wasn't rude and he surely did appreciate the loving manner of the dog, but it would have been rather hurtful for him. "I'm sorry, boy. But this won't work." Grillby said in his hushed voice and patted Lesser Dog's chest. Weirdly enough he understood and only panted happily at the fire monster.

 

Everyone was still in a slight shock, and Doggo was the first one to regain his words. "Uh, sure, Grillbz, sure thing." he was able to get the words out as he gave everyone a set of cards. But as Doggo wanted to give Grillby his cards he declined.  
"I'll be playing with _____." he said quietly. Doggo just shrugged and gave you the cards instead. Dogamy and Dogarressa still hadn't found their voices back, but Lesser Dog and Doggo seemed to accept that Grillby suddenly spoke with them.

 

Throughout the new round he whispered tipps and hints into your ear. And you got to know how good he was amazing at the game. His tipps were really helpful, so you followed them, but sometimes also trusted your instincts and asked him if your next move would be successful or not. Together with his hints and your own experience you won. You destroyed the others and for the first time since you played poker you won. You would've won the jackpot if you guys would've played for money.

 

Everyone applauded you and Grillby, and Dogarressa and Dogamy told you what a good team you two were.  
"Yep, that we are!" you cheered and hugged Grillby in a playful manner. He chuckled slightly and hugged you back.  
All of your friends agreed to another round, but sadly Grillby had to leave in the middle of it. Other costumers showed up and he wanted to be ready if they needed him. You stayed the next round with your friends as well, but without your boyfriend's help you quickly lost. You didn't mind though. You still had tons fo fun, and like usual when you were playing with your friend the air was filled with your laughter and happy barks of the dogs.

 

You agreed to one last game, and after that you would return to Grillby. It seemed to be a quiet day for the bar. This time was when you got back from work usually, and you would arrive at the bar only a couple minutes later. And usually the bar was already vibrating with life. But today there was only the dog monsters and the always drunken looking bunny monster, as well was a horse like looking monster with a blonde mane and grey fur.

 

In the middle of the round you were startled by a small coughing fit. You looked over to Dogarressa who was silently coughing into her elbow. Dogamy instanly wrapped an arm around her shoulders and asked if she was fine. She nodded.  
"It's nothing. Just had a scratchy throat." she said. Her husband nodded and let her go.  
But only a couple minutes later she coughed again, stronger this time. Dogamy patted her back and then rubbed soothing circles on it. He really looked worried.  
"Grillby?" he called. The fire monster came quickly with a questioning look. "Could you please bring her a tea?" Grillby nodded and returned to the bar.

 

"Maybe you caught a cold." you said as you watched the scene. Dogarressa was still trying to clear her throat, leaning a little against Dogamy. Doggo shook his head at your statement.  
"Monsters do not get sick like humans. We don't have enough physicality to get any viruses or bacterias or whatever flies around in your uh... flesh?" he explained and scratched his head a little. He then shook his head again, as if he had to clear his mind. His next words came out a little harder and heavier. "A monster only gets sick if there's something wrong with their magic... But it also can be just a little scratchy throat!" he quickly added.

 

Grillby returned with the tea, and Dogarressa thanked him. She took a small sip and winced as it seemed to hurt her throat even more. Dogamy instinctively whined as well. But his wife bravely finished the tea and then said that she wished to go home . He agreed and said a quick apology and goodbye to you, Doggo and Grillby.  
"Get better soon!" you said and you really hope that she would feel better tomorrow. You didn't really understand anything of what Doggo had told you. Even with having a magical being as your boyfriend you didn't fully understand magic. Another thing was that every individual monster had their own magical attributes, making each monster's magic unique just like a human's finger print.

 

"Will she be alright?" you asked Doggo after the married couple had left the bar. He shrugged as he collected the cards.  
"It depends." he simply said but continued, trying to explain magic a little more to you. "It really could be a simple scratchy throat. We monsters might not get sick like humans, but we can have aching limbs, scratchy throat or running noses as well. Not as bad as humans sometimes get it, but still. But... if she does get sick, if her magic is messed up in some way or another then we can only hope that it'll be alright soon again."  
When he saw your worried look he quickly tried to calm you. "Don't worry, there's medicine for that. If it's not too bad then she can quickly recover by taking the medicine, lots of rest and good food. Huh..." he then gave a small chuckle. "Looks like you actually could compare it to a cold."

 

"But what if her magic isn't only a little messed up...?" you mumbled, not really sure if you wanted to hear the answer actually. Doggo's face grew sad and dark.  
"If it's serious then we can only hope that her magic regulates on its own. But it can't be serious. Magic doesn't get messed up by nothing. Only huge negative changes in the life of a monster does that. Or if a monster uses too much magic and is all drained out." he explained more. You nodded to show that you understood.

 

You stayed with Doggo for a while and continued to talk for a little. You exchanged some knowledge about the two different species. You explained a little more about the functions of a human body, like how the whole blood circulation worked and you explained to him the basics of the nervous system, trying to recall what you had learned in school. Grillby came over to hear a little of it as well, but he had an eye on the other costumers the whole time as well.  
"Okay, got that. But you know what I am still wondering?" he asked. "If humans don't have enough magic to control anything, how do you move? Like, if I lift an arm, I do so by controlling the magic in my arm." he said and demonstrated. He used his hand to show you the flow of the magic inside of him, starting from his chest over to his shoulder and to his arm, all the way to his fingers.

 

"Oh! That's really interesting." you said as you followed the trail he showed with your eyes. You then explained to him what muscles were and why the nervous system was so important. You felt like a teacher, and your two students were really eager to hear everything. You also lifted your arm, pulled up your sleeves and demonstrated them how it bend, telling them about the muscles in your arm. You were showing how the contraction of said muscles pulled your arm up and down. "And apprearently every muscle has a name." you ended your small lecture. But before you could pull back your sleeve Grillby had carefully placed his fingers on your upper arm, gently pressed down. You giggled slightly when you could see how interested he was in it. You tensed your biceps by making a fist with your hand. You weren't exactly well trained, but he could still feel the muscle tense under his fingers.  
  


He instantly placed his whole hand over your arm, and you relaxed your arm again, making the muscle go limb and soft. You repeated the whole action for a little while, grinning at Grillby's concentrated pose. His flames were tall, but moved really slowly, as if time was slowed down. Soon he was interrupted by Doggo tho.  
"I wanna see too!" he whined. You laughed a little and scoothed over to him to show he. He was just as fascinated by the moving of your muscles like Grillby.  
  


When you were done showing off your weird humanly movement system Doggo continued to explain magic a little more to you. Now you were the one who was listening eagerly. He started with the basics, how the magic of a monster depended on their soul. You knew that a soul played a huge role in the monster's world, but it also sometimes did in human religion and culture.  
A soul changed during the whole lifetime of a living being. Certain things could make permanent changes though, like a very positive or a very negative event. The death of a loved one surely was a negative example, but fulfilling a big dream could be a very positive event. And as the soul changes, the magic changes too. A soul full of positive energy created a beautiful magic, strong and keeping the monster healthy and alive. If there were more negative parts in the soul than positives, then the magic would grew weak and dark, and could also slip out of control. And if the soul felt empty as if there was nothing worth to live for anymore, then the magic would slowly fade away, taking the monster with it.

  
You remembered what Grillby had told you in the museum. That certain monsters only aged if they felt entirely hopeless and lifeless. That's why the king looked older than he should be, as Grillby had said. You nodded to show Doggo that you understood that part.

 

The dog monster explained that if there was a huge negative or even a huge positive event that changed the soul, then the magic could change too quickly, turning everything upside down and throwing the whole magical balance of a monster into chaos. Sometimes the magic could settle down again if it got enough time. Like the snow in a snow globe. But sometimes the snowglobe broke, as if you shook it too much. The same could happen to a monster with chaotic magic. You didn't even want to imagine that.

 

Since you felt slightly uncomfortable with imagining this you asked if there was any way to make a monster's magic calm down once it got so muddled up. Doggo nodded.  
"With the help of another's soul." he said, happier to talk about positive ways of helping someone instead of describing how someone could die. "Every soul has a certain power to it, keeping it alive and making the changes possible. And if someone needs help then someone else can help by giving them some of their soul power. Since the soul regenerates faster than magic the power someone gives isn't gone forever. And that additional energy can help someone else's soul, so it grows stronger, and since the magic is dependend on the soul it grows stronger as well. So it will be more likely to be able to get fixed again."

 

You blinked a little at the whole explanation. It was a little hard to understand, but you got it, you thought. The magic of a monster could be easier healed if the magic was strong, and this could be achieved by making the soul strong. To make the soul strong, another soul could give some of its power to the weaker soul. But the power isn't lost if shared, but could be regenerated. You repeated that to Doggo to make sure that you got it. He nodded.  
"Yep, you got it perfectly fine." he said and smiled, happy that a human was willing to learn. "But only two people who trust each other can share soul power. A soul is a sceptical thing, it tries to protect itself in any way possible. After all, it's the easiest way to kill someone... to destroy their soul."

 

"It doesn't really sound pleasant." you said and shivered a little. You didn't know how someone could attack your soul, but it sounded painful . You knew a soul was the thing that was entirely you. What made you unique and individual. Having this destroyed must be a harsh way to go die.  
As you shivered you could feel Grillby wrapping an arm around your shoulder. He had been there the whole time, nodding in approval whenever Doggo had told you some facts about magic and souls. Now he was leaning towards you to whisper in your ear.  
"No one will even have the idea to hurt your soul.Not while I am here." he said, and his hushed voice was protective. You felt flattered that he had the urge to protect you since you felt the same towards him. Seeing him being hurt was the last thing you wanted to see. You gave him a nod and turned your head to kiss him on his forehead.

 

"I don't see why anyone would try to attack your soul, _____." Doggo spoke up again after cooing at you two for a moment. "You are really nice and your soul is really positive. Dunno why anyone would try to hurt that. There is no reason to."  
"Well, I'm glad to hear that!" you exclaimed. You would make sure to never give anyone a reason to fight you. You wouldn't really call yourself a pacifist because you were sure you were ready to defend yourself if you ever needed to, but you still tried to avoid any fights at all. You just couldn't stand to hurt anyone.

 

Grillby agreed with Doggo, but soon was whispering in your ear how beautiful your soul must be, judging by the vibes of it.  
"It is so nice, and so positive. Truly beautiful." he mumbled into your ear, making you blush. It was the first time that he could see your full reaction to his words. Before he always had his face buried in your hair, or you hid your face by looking down. But now he could see everything.

 

He could see how your face turned a darker shade of pink, and how you smiled dreamily to yourself. Your eyes began to sparkle more and your pupils dilated as well. You raised your shoulders a little, as if you wanted to hide your head between them, but the gesture wasn't uncomfortable, only instinctive. He hadn't known that your reaction was like this whenever he commented how beautiful you were. Promising to himself that he would treat himself more with this sight he took one of your hands in his and kissed your cheek. Now that he knew how happy it made you to hear these compliments he felt more confident to let you know what he thought of you.  
  


Before he was always unsure. He knew that some people would begin to think that those compliments were hollow or that he didn't mean them serious. But he did. Everything he said to you was true and came from the bottom of his soul.

  


He wanted to stay with you, but soon more costumers came in. He loved his job and did it with a contentment that many monsters searched for. But he would've been happier if he could've stayed with you at that certain moment. He still felt the urge to tell you how much he loved you, truly and really loved you. But the fact that humans took longer with this was still present in his mind, and he didn't want to rush you. On the other hand... you had proved  that you were ready to follow his pace. Didn't you just agree to move in with him? And you had kissed him on the first date as well, even saying "Why wait?" Maybe he would dare to say it to you once he was alone with you again.

 

He just had to wait for the right moment.

 

 


	20. Sleeping Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is said that people who sleep together bond even more

 

The whole day stayed quiet like this. Not even Sans came by this day, but that was alright. Grillby had told you that he had come to his bar more than once a day back when they were in the Underground. But ever since monster got to the surface the visits had been less common. Mostly because Sans' mood had been better, Grillby told you.

 

Since it was Tuesday the bar would be open until the late night hours. Your plan was to stay up with him, to give him some company on that lazy day, but your body didn't agree to that plan. You had woken up rather early today, so you could hurry to work, so it was clear that you got tired around 11pm. You sat at the bar and had an arm up on the counter, resting your elbow on it so you could rest your chin in your hand. You were slightly nodding of, enjoying the whole atmosphere way to much. The music box was playing a silent tune, and since there were only a few customers the ever present mumble was quiet as well. Grillby was behind the bar and close to you, and he had told you more than once that you should head to bed, but you shook your head.  
You wanted to stay up with him, but it was hard. He had more sleep this night than you probably, since he didn't had to get up so early. He was also used to staying awake and working so late on Tuesday and Wednesday, when Grillby's was open till the middle of the night.

 

When your head fell on the counter and made a small 'clonk' noise you jolted up. You checked the time. It was only close to midnight. You figured that grillby would be alright on his own. The bar was almost empty except for three guests.

 

"Hey, sunny...?" you mumbled, half asleep. He scooted closer to you and patted your head in a gentle way. " 'm goin' to sleeps..."  
He chuckled a little at your sleepy tone. He gave your head one last pat.  
"Alright, dear." he said quietly and fumbled the key out of his pocket. "Leave the door open, so you don't have to get up again." He handed you the keys, and after taking them you got off your stool and waddled out of the bar, not before giving Grillby one last kiss on his cheeks, of course.  
You left the door to the staircase open, just like he said. You placed the keys back on the keyholder, where they belonged, so Grilby could find them easily.

 

It was weird how this apartment felt like home already. Your ritual of getting out of your outfit and into your sleeping clothes felt even better here. You jammed the outfit into the closet so you could take care of it on the next laundry day. The last thing you did before going to bed was brushing your teeth. Then you finally flopped into the big bed.

 

Laying in such a big bed was unfamiliar, and the room, too, wasn't well known to you. But the pillows your head rested on smelled like Grillby, like dry and aromatic wood burning and a little bit like smoke, and this familiar scent made you a little sleepier. Soon you were fast asleep.

 

You only woke up when you felt the matress shift underneath you. You turned again, still more than half asleep, and you saw the glow of Grillby's fire. He slipped under the sheets next to you and laid down next to you. You instantly felt even better.  
"I'm sorry that I woke you up." he whispered, his voice loving and warm. You made a denying noise.  
"Nuh uh... 's okay..." you mumbled as you scooted closer. He had kept a certain distance, and you knew he mostly did that to respect your space, but you wanted to be closer to him. It was more instinct than any concious action, but you felt so comfy and good when you were near him. You could hear a hum of approval as you moved closer to him and he carefully put an arm around your shoulders. You thankfully got even closer to him, and your head was close to his chest now. He buried his face in your hair again and sighed in contentment.

 

"Good night, my dear." he whispered. You had wrapped your arm loosely around his waist to show that you were totally fine with cuddling. You understood that it was quite intimate, but you were okay with it.  
"Night, sun..." you mumbled back and you quickly fell asleep again, now being even more comfortable with hearing his soft breaths and the humming of core.

 

You thought that the light of his fire would keep you up, but the very opposite was the case. You were so used to his glowing flames that it soothed you now.  
But in the middle of the night you woke up again, and you felt sweaty and too hot. You found yourself captured by Grillby's arms which were around your waist. Your back was pressed against his front, making him spoon you closely. His face was buried in your hair, and his breathing was slow, calm and steady.  
You loved having him so close to you, but now you felt slightly  uncomfortable. His warmth, your warm sleeping clothes and the thick blanket over you combined to a heat that wasn't too pleasant at all. Slowly and gently, to not wake him up, you began to unwrap his arms around you and started to untangle your legs. Grillby grumbled a little, but he didn't wake up. Good.

 

When you were free you wiggled out of the blanket. The air that hit your skin was cold, but refreshing. You could feel a little sweat on your back and cursed your warm clothes. You loved to have it warm and cozy in winter, especially at night. But this was a little too much. So you went to the wardrobe to exchange your pullover and long thick sweatpants to something lighter. A comfy tee shirt and some shorts would do it. You went to the bathroom to change and to wash off some sweat.

 

The whole procedure didn't take long, but when you returned you found Grillby occupied the whole space of the bed. He was laying on his back, but his head rested on your side and his feet were still on his end, so he was in a diagonal position. One arm was over his chest, and the other was spread out on his pillow. Since he was sleeping his fire was low and dim, but unlike when he was sad it looked like he was relaxed and at peace.  
As you observed him you had to surpress an 'Dawww' noise. It was just too cute, and it made you happy to see him so at peace. You stood there for a short while to just look at him a little, but then you moved to the bed again and tried to plan. How could you get back under the blankets and close to him again without waking him up?

 

You guessed you would just lift his arm and slip underneath it, and you began to do so. But as soon as you were laying in bed again Grillby shifted. He didn't wake up, but he dragged his legs over to his side again, so you had enough space for your own. He rolled over to lay on his side, and both of his arms were reaching for you. He did all of this in sleep, and you felt even happier. You snuggled a little closer, so his arms could reach you, and you found yourself in his warm embrace again. This time it wasn't so warm, tho. The thinner clothes were helping a lot.  
You fell asleep easily again, feeling protected and at peace.

 

The next time you woke up was when you usually got up for work. It was weird to think about how well trained your biological clock was.  
You were still entangled with Grillby, but this time it wasn't uncomfortable or too warm. Maybe a little, but it wasn't too bad, and you just laid in bed a little, enjoying his close presence. The soft crackling of his fire was very quiet, but sounded like he was content. His eyes and mouth were visible, telling you how comfortable he felt around you. His eyes were currently only small white lines, but his mouth was open a little. You loved to see him so at peace, so content. With a smile on your lips you leaned forward to gently kiss the area between his eyes. He grumbled a little in his sleep, but didn't wake up.

 

You decided to give him his well deserved sleep and started to scoot away from him. Maybe you could use the time to shower and then get started on finding a new job again. But when you tried to untangle yourself from his arms his grip around you tightened, and he pulled you even closer to him. He buried his face into the crook of your neck and exhaled softly. Wondering if he woke up you silently said his name, but you got no reaction.  
So, instead of getting a headstart in the day you decided to simply stay in bed and be with your boyfriend for a while. Since you were facing him you looked at him a little. You could never get enough of seeing the swirls of his flames, now dancing around in a slow and lazy manner. You lifted a hand to gently caress his cheeks, feeling the warmth and softness of the fire. It did feel like skin, but a little softer even, as if it doesn't really have a physicality. When you looked closely you could see how your fingers phased a little through it even. Tiny flames licked on your fingers and left the tingling sensation you got whenever you got in contact with his flames.

 

After a while of staying on his cheeks you began to move your fingers. You traced them along his broad jaw, all the way from the temple to his chin. As you did so you noticed how the swirls followed the trail of your hand, like small waves in a calm pond.  
You repeated this motion for a while, only using featherlight touches. His expression shifted a little in his sleep, a hint of a smile appeared on his lips and his fire grew a little brighter, but you assumed that he didn't wake up, since he didn't respond more to your touches. When the tiny smile  showed up you moved your hand over to his lips. They felt a little warmer than the rest of the face, but it was still pleasant. With your thumb you brushed over them, loving to feel the softness and the warmth. Once again you repeated the motions before you went over to the area where his nose would be. His face was simply flat here, only a little domed. You didn't really question the lack of a nose, but simply admired the feeling of caressing this area as well. But soon you moved on to his closed eyes.

 

You only used the gentliest touch you could do when you brushed your fingers over his eyelids. It looked like fire was covering them, and you missed seeing the swirling whiteness of his eyes. But you knew you would see it soon again. After you continued to slightly caress his eyelids and the area around them you moved on to his forehead and fire 'hair'. You knew it wasn't exactly hair, but you didn't know how to call it exactly. Once again as you tried to stroke it your hand phased through it and came to rest on his scalp. Where the flames ended and where his body began. Your hand was enclosed in fire, but it only tingled in a pleasant way. You continued to caress his head for a long while, enjoying being able to be this close to him.

 

He meant so much to you. You did not only love his personality but also how he looked. Not once had you imagined him as a human, and you absolutely wouldn't have an idea how he would look like. His chin and his jaw might've been the same, but what then? It didn't matter anyways. You loved him how he was, and you wouldn't change a thing about him. Of course, he had his imperfections, like thinking low of himself because he had to be in a war. But you didn't mind. You would show him that you accepted his past just like you accepted his present. You would show him how happy and wonderful he made you feel by trying to make him feel the same. With that thought you kissed his forehead for a moment and then stayed close to his face.

 

What you didn't know was that Grillby had been awake ever since you had begun to caress his jaw. The wonderful but also unfamiliar sensation of being fondled like that had woken him up in a pleasant and soft way. Since he didn't want to disturb you he had decided to just lay there and enjoy it.  
Only at one part of his life had he experienced this feeling of contentment and peace. But even as he remembered back he was sure that it didn't feel this great and nice. For a second he felt bad to think about the one who had been doing this before you, but he let go of this thought easily as you brushed over his lips. He had the urge to kiss your thumb, but he fought it down, enjoying all of this way too much to make you stop now.

 

He was surprised how quickly you made him forget about the time when he was in his last relationship. It always had been hard for him to forget and move on, especially ever since the monster had come to the surface. She had dreamed of it. His former love always spoke about how great the overworld must be, and what she would have done if she had the chance to see it. And both of them, Grillby and his former love, were sure they would have seen it together one day, since the king already had collected five souls. Only two more, and they would've been freed. They would've run far away, so the King wouldn't ask Grillby to join him in another war, and they would've been happier than ever, if that was even possible.

 

The underground hadn't been too bad with her around. Her happy attitude almost never faltered, even when the times were rough and hard. She had been caring and loved every living being, but she had developed a preferance towards Grillby. Back then he had felt so honored that she had chosen to love him more than anything else. Now he had the same feeling with you.

 

You were like her, but not fully. Yes, you did care for so many, and you loved your friends, but unlike her you didn't assume that everyone was good. She had been rather naÃ­ve, and she got herself into a lot of trouble because of that. It was one reason why she was gone now. You on the other hand cared for yourself as well. You were a little more cautious than her. Maybe it was the fact that you were human and not monster.

 

No matter what, he thought you were perfect for him. You did remind him of his former love, but somehow these thoughts weren't hurting or sad like they always had been. Usually he despised everything that reminded him of her, but it was different with you. Unlike it had been with Sans.

 

It had been a long time ago, but after Grillby's love had gone missing he found Sans comforting him. And sooner or later they had a small and short affair, comforting each other whenever they needed it. The relationship didn't last long, tho, since the caring manner of Sans sometimes reminded Grillby of her, and he couldn't handle it. He felt like he was betraying her by engaging another partnership. And when they had found her dust he knew that he couldn't continue, at least not for a long while.

 

But now... Now he was ready. You had made him that. Your great personality and your wonderful appearance made him feel like he was ready to be with someone else again. You made him feel as if he deserves it all, no matter what he had done in the past.  
He loved you so much for this, and simply because you were yourself. He wanted to tell you so badly, wanted to make sure that you knew how much he loved you. And maybe now was the right time. You were alone with him in a comfortable environment, and the mood was intimate and peaceful.

 

So when you kissed his forehead in this wonderful soft and gentle manner he decided to 'wake up'. He blinked a little at you, and seeing you next to him made his breath hitch for a second. Your eyes were shining when he looked in them, and overall you looked absolutely fantastic. He was sure his face was in complete awe because you giggled softly. The sound of your happy chuckle sent pleasant shivers along his flames, making them burn brighter.  
"Good morning, sleepy sun." you mumbled and pressed another kiss on his forehead. He yawned - it wasn't even faked - and smiled up to you. It was wonderful to wake up with you after having a great sleep. He didn't have to miss you, and you were simply here with him.  
"Good morning, my dear..." he whispered back, still enraptured in your presence. He raised a hand off of your waist so he could lay it down on your cheek. You smiled even more at this and leaned a little into the touch. "How did you sleep?" he asked, hoping that you had a good rest. Maybe he had dreamt it, but a memory of you getting up in the middle of the night crossed his mind. And only now did he noticed that your warm and long pullover had changed into a thin tee shirt.

 

You had noticed his look that was rested on your arms. "It was kinda warm, so I changed. But I slept like a baby." you said and smiled to him. "How did you sleep?"  
"I had a very good rest..." he mumbled and rubbed small circles on your cheek with his thumbs. He had the urge to repeat your motions from earlier, and he started to do so. You skin felt soft under his touch, and compared to his former love you were cold. But he loved it. You were so foreign and interesting, and he discovered so many new things about you each and everyday. And he couldn't wait to discover even more.

 

He remembered why he pretended to wake up again, and he was thinking rapidly about a way to tell you about his feelings. He had the urge to get it out, to let you know, to see your response... and maybe hear that you loved him, too.  
"I'm glad you slept well.." he began, still thinking how to continue. "I was worried you would find it uncomfortable, my dear."  
"Nah." you said, but quickly stopped when you sensed that he had to say more.  
"I always worry about you, even if it's just these little things. I just..." he took a deep breath and as he exhaled with a small sigh he looked in your eyes. They were bright and his fire reflected in them, making your eye color shine. He got lost in them for a moment, simply taking you in. You were still close to his face, and he could smell your unique scent. You breathed slowly and deeply, and a small smile was on your face. You looked so happy, so wonderful. Without thinking he spoke the next words with a voice full of love, happiness and peace.

 

"I love you."

 


	21. Giving Warmth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Grillby receive News from Dogarressa, and they're not good.

 

After staring at him for what seemed to be an eternity you figured it out. You must be dreaming, still wandering around in the lands of dreams. And you had the most wonderful and amazing dream you ever had.  
Grillby had said that he loved you, and this in such a beautiful voice that there was no doubt that he meant it. Your heart was still racing and you felt how your cheeks grew hotter. You felt like soaring and you felt alive.  
  
  
The three words were still echoing in your mind, and they left it empty and blank, but in a wonderful way. Grillby must've seen how happy his words made you because his flames grew even bigger and brighter now. He gave a small chuckle. This was what pulled you back into being aware that you hadn't answered yet. Ever since he had said that he loved you, you had the urge to tell him how much you loved him back. How much he meant to you, and how wonderful he was.  
But quickly after you had opened your mouth to tell him all of this you found yourself engolfed in his warmth as he hugged you.  
  
  
"You don't have to say it." he mumbled into your ear. Before you could say that yes, you indeed had to or you would explode, he continued. "I can feel it. I can feel how much you love me right now. Your soul is vibrating with all those feelings... You have no idea how wonderful... how healing it is." he whispered and kissed your temple. You smiled at this.  
"I still want to say it.." you whispered back, hugging him closer to you. "If I won't then I gonna burst!" You giggled a little, and he chuckled back, the sound vibrating in your chest.  
"Well then... I'm listening." he still grinned as he leaned back, his eyes sparkling from happiness and excitement. You put your hands over his cheeks to frame his bright face. You could feel your heart beating faster when you looked into his eyes, the whiteness was swirling quickly and brightly.  
  
  
"I love you..." you said, and you felt like a huge pressure had been taking off of your heart. Grillby's smile grew even wider and bigger, and before you knew it you were engolfed in another hug. He seemed like he wasn't able to stop himself from chuckling in happiness, his fire bursting in little warm explosions whenever he chuckled. And you chuckled with him, happy that he knew how much you loved him, and glad that your words made him that happy.  
  
  
You bet you two could've stayed like this forever, cuddling with each other and chuckling in a soft and quiet manner, but you were interrupted by Grillby's alarm clock. He had to reach over your body to reach the nightstand, and he turned it off with a quick motion. His arm simply flopped down on you and pulled you closer again. After a moment you spoke up, since he didn't make any intentions of moving.  
"Hey, I bet there was a reason why you have an alarm." you teased him lovingly and tickled his arm a little. He only grumbled and tightened the grip around you.  
"Five more minutes..." he said and grinned at you. You grinned back and scooted closer to him, so you could nuzzle his face.  
 "Alright, sunny. Five more minutes." you said and stayed close to his face. You noticed that he was looking at you intensely, but with a soft and peaceful expression. You were sure that you had the same expression on your face, but you could also feel your cheeks being warm. There was still a wonderful warm emotion in your whole body, making you feel weightless and light.  
  
  
The five minutes went by in a comfortable and loving silence, sometimes interrupted by one of you pressing small kisses on the others face. With one last kiss on your nose Grillby got up and out of the bed. You followed him and shivered a little when the cold air hit your legs and arms. The thin clothes might be good while you were close to him, but not when you were out of bed. You waddled to the wardrobe to change into something warmer while Grillby made his way to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. As soon as you had a pullover back on and some comfortable long trousers you followed him to see if you could help.  
  
  
But he was a chef, after all, and he was already in the middle of making pancakes for both of you. He was humming again, and his fire was burning brightly and highly. His eyes and mouth weren't hidden, instead his entire face showed an expression of utter happiness and love. You stayed in the archway that divided the living room  and the kitchen a little, just to look at him. He was still in his comfortable sleeping clothes, with a simple shirt and wide and long sweat pants, and you had to admit that you really liked to see him in casual clothes. You just overall liked to watch him, no matter what he was doing. His tall figure was attractive, after all, especially his broad shoulders and strong arms. You could see those exposed now. Small flames were flickering on them as well, but not high enough to distord the humanoid form.  
  
  
He noticed you standing in the entrance of the kitchen and smiled to you.  
"Do you need any help, sunny?" you asked and stepped a little closer. He quickly told you to stay where you were, looking a little worried. You stopped instantly, and he looked relieved that you did so.  
"I'm using fire magic, and I'd prefer if you didn't get to close to it." he said. "It can be rather dangerous for people who cannot use fire magic themselves." he explained as he saw your questioning look.  
"Oh! I see!" you stepped back into the archway and just continued to look at him, a small smile on your face. Grillby hummed in approval, seemingly happy that you listened to him, and continued to cook. And of course you would listen to him, after all he knew more about magic and how it worked than you.  
  
  
When Grillby saw that you were still watching him with this loving expression he turned a slight shade of blue, but he didn't look like he felt uncomfortable. He was still smiling to himself and began to hum again, a melody you didn't recognize . But you didn't mind. It was nice and fitted his deep voice and the crackling of his fire.  
Soon the breakfast was done, and you only moved to get some plates as the stove was turned off.  
"Maybe I should start using the non-magic mode of the stove." Grillby mumbled as he put pancakes on the plates. But you shook your head.  
"You don't have to, you can use it however you want." you said quickly as you searched in the cabinets for something to put on the food. Grillby helped you by showing you were it all was, and he had almost everything. Maple syrup, chocolate sauce, sugar, jam and so on. With a squeak of delight you just grabbed everything, looking forward to having a sweet breakfast with your sweet boyfriend. He only chuckled and carried the plates to the table, since your arms were full with all the treats.  
  
  
Eating breakfast together was great. Sure, you had dinner with him once already, but the whole atmosphere was different. It was even cozier, and you loved the thought of having this almost everyday. You would never have to eat breakfast alone anymore. You would never have to do anything alone anymore. The thought of this made you all giddy and somewhat excited again. Grillby saw your big smile and instantly smiled back to you, happy as well.  
  
  
The two of you finished breakfast, and once again it was Grillby who cleaned up everything. Luckily he didn't have to do the dishes since he had a dish washer. It was both quicker and safer for him. After storing everything away you two went back to finding a job for you. You started to fill out an application, which was a real pain for you. You hadn't done this in a while, and getting back into it was hard. Grillby was still searching the web a little, but you noticed how picky he was. With a derisive grumble he deleted the bookmark with the offer of the fast food chain that you had made yesterday. The same fate happened to various other bookmarks until only 3 were left. He studied them closely before deleting one more and then he nodded, showing you the results.  
  
  
It was the positions you had preferred as well, but you had planned to apply for more then two places. You could always be denied. But you felt honored that he only wanted the best working place for you, and that you were happy with your job. So you didn't complain and began to address the application to the places that Grillby had chosen for you.  
In the middle of writing you heard a phone ringing, but it wasn't yours. Grillby fished his out of his pocket and looked at the number.  
"It's Dogamy." he said in a questioning tone and answered it. You knew that he didn't like phone calls, but he had talked to the dog monster already, so you figured that he was more comfortable now. He didn't say 'Hello' or 'This is Grillby', but simply intensified the crackling of his fire to signal that he was listening.  
  
  
You couldn't hear anything, but you could guess what it all was about. Grillby's flames dimmed a lot, and they slowed in movements.  
"Of course." he then said in a soothing and reassuring manner. "I will be right there. It will take me some time ." and then he ended the call. He stood up in a hasty manner while telling you where he was going. "I need to help Dogarressa. She is a lot worse than yesterday, and she needs help." Before you could say anything he ran into the bedroom, changing back into an outfit he could go out with.  
You stood up as well and ran after him. You wouldn't just stay at home and wait. You wanted to go with him and help. Somehow. So you stepped into the bedroom and ignored the fact that he was shirtless. There was no time in admiring him now, you firgured. Grillby's flames were dim and flickered quickly now, showing how stressed and worried he was. And you were too. Only yesterday you got to know that a monster only needed help if they were in a critical state.  
Grillby seemed to appreciate that you wanted to come with him, but he was slightly distressed when you started to undress in front of him. You on the other hand didn't have a problem with that, after all it was just Grillby who saw you. It was better than undressing in front fo Bratty and Catty. But unlike them he stared straight away and stopped what he was doing . He had a shirt in his hands but it looked like he forgot how to put it on.  
You had already changed your pants and had slipped into jeans, and now you had taken off your shirt. You noticed how he was looking at you and looked back. The scene suddenly felt rather awkward, you and him being shirtless. Only now did you take a short but closer look to his chest. He wasn't perfectly well trimmed , but he still had some muscles that were visible through the flickering of the flames. You blinked twice before putting on the pullover you had in your hands. Only when you were covered Grillby found his senses again and put on his shirt.  
  
  
Once both of you were dressed you hurried out and downstairs. You even took the car for the short way, only to be a little faster. Soon you reached an apartment building you haven't seen before, but you followed Grillby to the door. He pushed the doorbell and almost instantly you heard the buzzer. Both of you almost stormed upstairs. You reached an open door and you already could hear some painful howling. The sound made the hair on your arms stand up in dispair and pity.  
  
  
Dogamy didn't say anything, but he waved you both inside and to the room where his wife was. You gasped at her sight. Her fur wasn't shiny anymore, and it looked dirty from what seemed to be sweat. Her eyes were shut tightly, and she wiggled in pain. You had to bite your bottom lip just to surpress any noises of discomfort. You hated to see your friend like this. This sweet and caring monster shouldn't be in this state.  
  
  
Grillby, too, seemed to have the same thought. His fire was still dim, only a dark shade of red, and it flickered lowly. He slowly moved towards the bed that Dogarressa laid in and then kneeled in front of it.  
"Hello, Dogarressa." he said softly and in a hushed voice. She turned her head a little and whined at him, showing that she recognized him. Something similiar to a smile flickered over her face before she scrunched it up again. She must be in so much pain. "I'm here to help you." Grillby continued as he took her paws in his warm hands. Dogamy was standing next to you and whined a little as Dogarressa howled in pain. The sound made you shiver and tremble.  
  
  
Then the fire monster let go of her paws and hovered one of his hands over her chest. You stared in awe as it began to glow softly, and something grey emerged out of the dog monsters chest. It looked like a heart, only upside down, and it faced Grillby. It was her soul, and it didn't look good. It trembled as if it was hard for it to float, and sometimes it would lose control and slide down, only to fight its way back up. It looked like it was drowning.  
Grillby put another hand on his chest, and another glow started to fill the room. It was brighter, and you figured that he had summoned his own soul. You couldn't see it, since you only could see his back and his body was in the way, but you felt it. You could feel something warm coming from the direction of Grillby's chest, and you had to fight the urge to run to it and hug this warmth.  
  
  
Your boyfriend froze for a moment, then for another. His fire was dim and moved slowly, showing that he was concentrating. The light that the souls emitted grew and then faltered again, and this repeated for a while, until the light vanished. The room felt dark now.  
"Her soul won't accept." Grillby said, and his voice was low and sounded miserable. Dogamy whined loudly at this.  
"Try again!" he pleaded. "You're an elemental, it should work!" But Grillby only shook his head.  
"I've tried multiple times. It's not that my soul is not strong enough. She doesn't trust me enough." he said and stood up. He was facing the ground in font of his feet and you could see how his fire died even more. "... I am sorry. I cannot do anything."  
  
  
Dogamy next to you started to cry loudly. He howled just like his wife, and big tears rolled down his fur. Grillby hurried to him and took him in his arms, and the dog monster clung to him desperately, trying to find any support.  
You were shocked, too. You didn't want to see this scene, you didn't want to feel so lost. And just when you thought of comforting Dogamy as well you remembered. The soul of a human was stronger than the soul of a monster.  
  
  
"C-can I try...?" you asked, trying to talk through the thick knot in your throat. Grillby turned to you, slowly letting go of Dogamy who was looking at you with pleading eyes.  
"Please do!" Dogamy said and hurried to you, taking your hands in his paws. "Please, try anything, something!" You nodded at him multiple times, all the time while he was pleading. Tears still ran down his cheek, now dropping off of his jaw and to the ground.  
All the while Grillby was watching intently at you, and when you looked over to him he looked absolutely distressed. His flames were dim and low, but they flickered quickly now, and he looked like he had to decide something. And when he made a decision it was a clear one.  
"No." he simply said and stepped over to you. "No, you won't."  
Dogamy winced at this and shivered. You on the other hand were confused. Why would Grillby tell you not to help someone if they needed it so desperately? He must've seen your confused look on your face and took the place in front of you by gently pushing Dogamy to the side. He let it happen and only whined more, watching his wife as she wiggled in pain again.  
  
  
"Listen, _____." Grillby whispered and looked into your eyes, but there was no warm magic running through you. "Listen to me."  
"I am." you said silently and took his hands in yours. You wanted to understand why he would deny them the help that you could provide?  
"We do not know for sure if Dogarressa will accept your help. I'm sure she wants to, but her soul might be sceptical."  
"We won't know until I try." you said back and squeezed his hands. As you wanted to let go of them he grasped them desperately.  
"Please don't try it..." he said and looked into your eyes again. "If it works then... You will... It'll drain your energy. It'll make you sick and weak." His voice was filled with worry and sadness when he told you, and with his next words he pressed you closely to him with a hug. "I don't want to see you suffer, _____. Even if it's to help someone else. Dogamy can care for Digaressa, and someone else can give her help."  
  
  
You were moved by his loving and caring manner, but you shook your head gently at his words.  
"Even if I become weak and sick, I got you who cares about me." you said, and you could feel how Grillby's tense hug became a little more relaxed. "I'm not alone, and I know this. If I'd be or feel alone I wouldn't dare to do that." you continued, and Grillby became even more relaxed. You patted his back once before letting go of him, and he let it happen. He followed you back to the bed.  
"You'll need someone to summon your soul..." he mumbled, and you saw how uncomfortable the whole situation was for him. You understood it. You also wouldn't like to see Grillby being sick or hurt. But you so desperately wanted to help your friend, so you kneeled down next to the bed, and Grillby kneeled down next to you.  
  
  
He asked you one more time if you wanted to do this, and you nodded. You could take some pain or whatever awaited you, knowing that you would become better helped a lot. Grillby sighed once before nodding to you as well. He raised his hands over Dogarressa's chest again, and her soul emerged once again, shaky and weak just like it was before. Being closer to it made you feel it's vibes, but they felt weak and pulled you down.  
  
  
Grillby then turned to you, and he raised his right hand.  
"This will feel strange a little, my dear..." he said quietly. You nodded.  
"That's alright. I can deal with it." you mumbled back and gave him a reassuring smile.  
He looked at you for a moment to make sure, then moved his hand slowly towards your chest, only stopping a few inches away from it. Suddenly you felt a strong force on a place inside of you that you couldn't describe. It didn't hurt nor was it uncomfortable, just unknown and strange. Soon the room was filled in a white light, being emitted from the heart that came out of your chest. Grillby gasped, and you slightly jump when his flames shot up as he saw your soul. You on the other hand felt a little strange. Lost. And as if something was missing. But as soon as your soul came to rest right above Grillby's hand you felt better and at peace. He was still looking at it with bright flames as he held his other hand underneath is as well, and it looked like he was absolutely stunned. You felt the familiar magic warmth running through your body, but it was more intense. You felt like your soul's place was right there, on his hands. At this thought the white heart moved a little closer towards him, and he gave a small chuckle at this, flames shooting a little higher.  
  
The two of you stopped admiring your soul when you heard Dogarressa whine again. Grillby turned to her, and your soul moved with his hands. He gently placed your soul next to hers, slowly trying to bring them into contact. You could feel the vibes of her soul even more now, making you feel down and heavy. You watched with a fearful expression as her soul twitched away from yours, like a shy and scared animal. Grillby wanted to give up, but you gently urged him to try again. And after the third try her soul didn't move away.  
  
  
But as soon as your souls made contact you felt miserable. You could feel how your energy was being drained, and you felt like the room was spinning. You felt nausious and weak, and you began to tremble. But as quick as the procedure started it ended. Sadly the nausious feeling didn't stop, but at least the terrible feeling of something draining your strength stopped.  
You coughed a little and then panted an awful lot. You felt like you had ran a marathon without having any water. Your chest felt tight and it was as if your lungs were too small. But when you looked up you saw that Dogarressa seemed to be in less pain, and overall she looked way more comfortable and healthier. You couldn't help but smile a little. It had worked.  
  
  
The two souls vanished, and when it returned you felt a little better. A puzzle piece returned to you. Still, you flopped forward and into Grillby's arms. You felt too dizzy to keep up and sitting, and thankfully Grillby caught you.  
"It's alright, I'm here." he whispered before Dogamy hurried to the bed. For the first time since you had arrived here you saw him smiling when he saw his wife.  
"Doga... Doga, how're you, honey?" he asked. Dogarressa opened her eyes a little and smiled up to him.  
"I'm feeling good..." she said in a weak mumble, but continued to smile. Dogamy gave a small and breathless laugh as he wrapped you in a thankful hug as he laughed even more with relief. You tried to laugh along, but all you managed to do were heavier breathes. The sudden hug made you dizzier. "O-oh!" he then made and looked in your face. "You should go and rest... You must feel terrible." he said and you nodded. You wanted nothing more than sleep and eat something, or eat and then sleep.  
  
  
Grillby instantly acted, and you were rather surprised when you felt one arm snaking around your shoulders, and the other going under your knees. He picked you up in bridal style, and if you could you would've given a surprised yelp and then a chuckle. Now you could only smile up to him, but you didn't get one in return. His flames were dim in worry, and they flickered in a stressful way. He said a quick goodbye to Dogaressa and Dogamy who thanked you once again. You only gave him a lazy wave before you were being carried away.  
  
  
Before you knew it you were in the car, and Grillby drove off to your apartment. He seemed to hurry even more now, and he looked more concerned than he was when you two went to Dogarressa.  
"I'm so sorry, my dear. I'll do my best to care for you." he chanted sentences like this the whole way, as if it was his fault that you felt exhausted now. It wasn't too bad, and you bet you looked worse than you felt. Even when you told him that he shook his head and apologized again.  
  
  
You two reached the apartment building, and before you could even move an inch out of the car you were picked up by Grillby. Once again he carried you in bridal style, and he carried you like this up to the apartment. You didn't complain, though. It seemed like it calmed him down when he could care for you, so you let it happen. He went to the bedroom and gently laid you down on the bed. The soft cushions made you even sleepier, but you forced yourself to stay awake since Grillby sat down next to you.  
  
  
He only looked at you for a while, his flames still dim in worry and fear about you. But you knew you would be alright. You didn't feel like dying, or like it could get any worse. Now that you were lying in bed the room didn't feel like it was spinning anymore, and the nausious feeling in your stomach was bearely noticeable. So you gave your boyfriend a big smile, hoping that it would calm him down a little.  
"I'm alright, Grillby." you said in a small whisper. You didn't really like how weak your voice sounded, but somehow your words soothed him and he nodded.  
"That's good..." he mumbled and leaned forward so he could give your forehead a kiss. "You've helped her a lot, and she's going to be alright thanks to you." He pressed another kiss to your forehead and stayed close to your face. You enjoyed these little gestures as you drifted off to sleep. But before you were completely asleep you heard him saying more words to you. "I'm so proud of you, my dear. I still don't like that you feel bad now, but I'll take care of you. I love you so much."  
  
  
You mumbled something along the lines of "I love you too", but you weren't sure if it came out as clear like that. But you only allowed yourself to sleep after you've said it.


	22. Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You recover from your sickness and Dogarressa wants to see you soon!  
> The previous author's note is on the bottom of this chapter now.

 

You had no idea how long you've slept, but it only felt like some minutes. Yet you felt very refreshed and better already. But as you tried to sit up you still felt slightly dizzy and sick, mostly because you were so hungry. With a sigh you shuffled a little in bed. You felt warm and comfortable, and only now did you notice that your clothes had changed. Instead of your jeans and pullover you were wearing your sleeping clothes. When had you changed them?  
  
You had some questions about how much time had passed, and where Grillby was, so you decided to get up after lying in bed for a little, after wondering if you could fall asleep again. When this wasn't the case you slowly got up and waddled out of the room. You didn't feel like the room was spinning, but your knees felt weak and wobbly. Gladly the way to the living room wasn't too long.

 

Grillby was on the couch and watched one of Mettaton's TV Shows, but as soon as you stepped in the room his head turned to you. In an instant he got up and hurried to you, supporting you by wrapping an arm around your shoulders and putting one of your arms over his. You gave him a big smile, telling him that you were alright. His flames were still dim, but he seemed to be relieved when he saw that you were feeling better.  
"How are you, my dear?" he asked in a silent tone, showing that he wasn't fully happy yet. Your smile only widened, hoping that this would soothe him a little.  
"Way better! I had a great sleep." you said, and your voice was fuller and stronger already. "How long did I sleep?"  
"About twelve hours. Maybe a little more." he answered you, and you looked at him in a slight shocked way. That was a long time, and it surely hadn't felt like twelve hours. Then you took a look at the clock.  
"Shouldn't you be down at the bar now?" you asked, realizing that it was in the middle of business time for Grillby's. He simply shook his head at you.  
"I took the day off, so I can care for you." he explained while guiding you to the kitchen. It seemed like he knew how hungry you were since he started to cook.  
"There are advantages of being your own boss, huh?" you chuckled a little. It must be great to decide when to work and when you could afford to have some free time. But you knew that he loved his job, so maybe free days were pretty rare.

 

His flames shot up at the sound of your chuckle. The sound alone made him happier already, and when he looked to you, you gave him a big smile. You wanted to show him that you were feeling better now. You bet that all you needed was some good food and a little more rest, and then you'd be as good as before.  
It wasn't long until your food was ready. It was a simple meal, but he made enough to ease your hunger. Once you were full you waddled over to the couch and flopped down, feeling all sleepy and drowsy again.

Grillby was hesitant as he followed you to the couch, but as soon as you opened your arms to ask for cuddling he took place next to you.  
"Thank you for caring about me." you mumbled as you snuggled closer to him and rested your head on his chest, so you could hear the hum of his core. The lively sound always made you feel better.  
"Don't worry. I'm always here for you. I promised." he mumbled, but it was a soft mumble. He only tried to be quiet for you, and not because he felt uncomfortable. You were glad that he wasn't worrying so much anymore. He put a hand on your back so he could gently press you closer to him. With his other hand he grabbed the TV remote and turned it on again. It seemed to be the same show like before, with Mettaton reacting to some monsters with weird yet amazing talents, as it seemed.

 

You were sleepy, and since you should rest you allowed yourself to fall into the lands of dreams. It wasn't hard for you to do: Grillby's warmth was always comforting and cozy, and the noises from the TV and the humming from his core helped you to drift off.  
You woke up several hours later. The TV was still on, but now it was some kind of late night comedy program. Your position had change, tho. Instead of leaning against his side and with your head on his chest you now had your head on his lap. You blushed a little at this before you lifted yourself up a little to readjust your position.

You noticed how stiff your muscles were, and you let out a small groan in pain. Laying like this was comfortable for a while, but not if it lasts for a long time. You rolled your shoulders a little, scrunching your face at the stiff feeling. Only now did you notice that Grillby was fast asleep as well, but it looked like it was an uneasy slumber. His flames flickered quickly but were dim, showing that he had a stressful dream. His face, too, looked like he was frowning. You decided that it might be better if you woke him up. So you gently put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it a little.

 

"Hey, sunny..." you mumbled quietly. Even this small whisper was enough to wake him up. He almost jolted from his sleep and seemed to be a little afraid before his eyes met yours. Only then he calmed down a little.  
"Oh... _____, you're awake." he whispered and cupped your cheeks in his hands. He was so happy to see you after such an unpleasent dream. It calmed him and made the visions of his dream vanish. He could feel how his flames flickered higher, simply by seeing that you're well and happy. He instantly smiled back when your lips curved up.  
"Hm mh." you made and put your hands over his. Grillby noticed that your movements were stiff and you looked like you were in slight pain. This made him a little anxious again.

  
"What's wrong, my dear?" he asked, ready to try anything so you would feel better again. You chuckled a little at his worry, and he felt already a little bit relieved.  
"Just had a weird position while sleeping and now my muscles are stiff and hurt a little." you said to him while taking one of his hands from your cheeks, so you could kiss his palms. The area on his hands began to prickle in a wonderful way. "But it's nothing that a little movement cannot fix." you added after the small peck on his hand.  
"Would a little warmth help as well?" he asked and lifted his other hand from your cheek to put it on your shoulders. You thought for a moment before you nodded.

 

You let go of his hand and turned around a little until your back was facing him. You showed him where your muscles were especially sore and hurt, and he gently moved his hands to these areas, heating them up a little. As soon as his warm hands came to rest on your back you let out a relieved sigh. He felt his fire grow and burn brighter. It was good to know that he could help you feel better.

 

He had hated to see you weak and feeling sick. It felt like he was sick, too, and he was anxious the whole time, afraid that you might feel even worse with every minute that passes. He hed been afraid that you would be sick for days, or weeks even, and the mere thought of this made him feel ill. And now he was so thankful and happy that you felt better, but the fact that you still felt a little weak and stiff hindered him at being completely content and happy. He just wanted to see you healthy and good. Only then could he be all of this as well.  
These thoughts ran through his mind as he started to massage your back in a gentle and soft way. He made sure that his hands weren't too hot and that he wasn't putting too much pressure on your back. But it was nice to massage you, especially when he saw how much you liked it. You closed your eyes and sighed once more. Your head lowered a little as if it was too heavy, but the content smile on your face reassured him that you were feeling alright.

 

He made sure that your back was being cared for. He loved to feel you under his hands. You were solid and slightly cold, at least for his senses. Sometimes you would roll with your shoulders. Then he could feel the muscles work underneath his hands, moving under your skin. It was truly fascinating and beautiful.  
He massaged your back for what seemed to be for hours, but he didn't mind and didn't grow tired. He could never grow tired of making you feel good or better. To make you feel good and happy and content.

 

After a long long while you began to turn around again, signaling him that he could stop massaging you. He was a little sad about ending it already, but he stopped anyways. When you faced him again your smile was big and wide, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling back to you.  
"Thank you." you said. "I feel much better now!"

Grillby just nodded at you, but he smiled brightly. He was happy that you felt better, and after fearing over you for all these hours it felt good to know that you're going to be alright. But before he could say anything to you he heard his phone ring.

 

He quickly picked up. While you've been asleep Grillby had received some calls of Dogamy with updates of how Dogaressa was feeling. The fire monster was thankful for that, because he got to know that your help wasn't in vain. Dogarressa was getting better and better with every hour that had passed. It seemed like your help saved her and improved her condition. Dogamy never missed a chance to praise you for this, and he was very concerned about your well being. Grillby was delighted to be able to tell him that you were doing much better. He could hear Dogamy pant in happiness.

  
„Oh, what great news! Great news indeed!“ he almost howled it in happiness. Grillby could hear the still weak voice of Dogarressa. Dogamy listened before he told the fire monster what she said. „Doga would be really happy if she could see _____ soon. But only when they feel up to it, and if they're doing well enough!“

 

 _„_ I'm sure _____ would be happy to see her as well.“ Grillby replied with a smooth voice. You perked up at the mentioning of your name. „I will ask them when we got the time.“  
„Thank you a lot, Grillby.“ Dogamy said and sounded relieved. Grillby was sure that he could feel Dogamy's soul jump in happiness if he would've been there. The married couple has been together since decades, and no one could imagine them being seperated. It was like they were glued together, and whenever only of them showed up everyone was asking where the other was. So it was natural that Dogamy must be overflowing with joy.

Dogamy shared some chit chat before saying goodbye for now, promising that he would keep Grillby and you updated. After your partner hung up you nudged him on his side.  
„Who was that? And what did you guys talk about?“ you asked, but you didn't seem to demand any information. You were simply asking out of curiosity, not because you thought he was hiding anything from you.

 _„_ Dogamy. He was updating me about how Dogarressa is doing.“ Grillby answered and playfully nudged you back. „She's getting better, a lot better. Thanks to you.“ He could see how you blushed a little at this. Maybe you weren't sure about what you've done.  
„I'm sure many people would've loved to help her. She's a good friend and a great person.“ you said and shrugged. Grillby was sure now that you didn't know what a huge impact your act of kindness was. You willingly gave life energy away for someone else. You knew you would feel miserable and sick afterwards, he had warned you. But you still did it. You probably had saved a life.

Maybe it was even more important that you have saved a life of a monster. Monsterkind would see that humans are willing to agree to such acts, and humans could realize that monsters were worth saving. It was a huge step towards peace between monsters and humans, and you just took this step on your own.

 

Grillby loved you even more for this.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my dear Readers!
> 
> It's been a while, huh? It surely has been. It's weird to be back here, with an open chapter. And it's terrible to disappoint you with just an author's note, and not a real chapter. But let me tell you: Grillby misses you. A lot. And me and him hope that you will be reunited again.
> 
> It's just that my life has been rather stressful lately. My education is coming to an end and my last final exam will be on this wednesday, the 15th of June. And I am scared. And nervous. This means a lot to me, and I don't want to mess it up.
> 
> So I focused on my education a little, so I can be an official nursery school teacher. One reason why I put this story on hold for a while.
> 
> Another reason was and still is a real pain in the butt. My old laptop crashed, and wouldn't wake up again. I brought it to the store to get it repaired but there was no chance it getting it back up. So my file of "Your Personal Sun" has been lost. Gladly, thanks to my Mom who helped me and borrowed me some money, I bought a new laptop the same day. But I had to organize it again, re-write stuff for my education and so on.
> 
> You see, these two reasons could be enough to say "Okay. I understand that the story had to be put on hold" but it's still not enough. I had some troubles with friends, got pretty hurt by someone I very much liked (Like, like like. You know) and I didn't have the motivation to write a story about love and fluff when I was feeling so down and done with these topics.
> 
> But now, since the end of my education is approaching, I'll try to write more about you and Grillby. I'll try to get back to writing. Some chapters got lost because my laptop died, but I'll try to re-write them. It could take some time, tho. It won't happen tomorrow or in some days. Hopefully next week, tho! When I'm done with my exam and when I hopefully passed, I'll have some more time to write.
> 
> I am glad to be back, and I hope you all aren't too angry with me. I saw comments that broke my heart and that made me promise that I would be back as soon as possible. And here I am! I am sorry it couldn't have been earlier.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope we'll continue to have a good time. Grillby can't wait to be back with you, that's for sure! He sends many kisses and hugs to you
> 
>  
> 
> Have a good day!  
> ~Arial
> 
>  
> 
> PS.: This Author's Note will be copied to the beginning of the new chapter, so it won't interrupt the flow of reading for people who'll read it later.


	23. A small piece of Happiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A rather small chapter about what had happened in a few days.  
> Remember! The previous author's note is now a full chapter! Chapter 21 is up as well! Check out the previous page

 

Grillby told you that Dogarressa would like to meet you, to thank you in person. You were pretty moved by that. You liked to help, and you could describe yourself as a helpful person for that, but whenever you helped humans it was rare that you got a Thanks that was truthfully meant like that. The thought that Doga wants to see you face to face just to say thank you gave you the feeling that your help really was appreciated.  
  


But you didn't want to go there just to get the kind words. You also wanted to see how Dogarressa was doing, and if you could help more if needed. So you gladly accepted the offer and hoped that you could meet her and her husband soon again. And since you felt much better you knew that you could go without risking anything. You told Grillby that, but you instantly saw concern in his flames.

„I know I cannot tell you how you should do things, but to be honest, I'd like it if you would rest more. Maybe for another day, my dear.“ he said silently. You were moved that he didn't want to force anything on you, even if it would be for your best, and you smiled at him.

„Alright. I won't overdo it, I promise. I'll stay here with you.“ you said happily, glad that his flames shot up in response, accompanied with a big smile on his face. As if to follow your promise you yawned, feeling a little sleepy again. You lay down on the couch to rest a little more, while Grillby set up a movie he could watch. You two cuddled again, a thing you would never grow tired of.  
  


In the next few days Grillby cared lovingly for you. He made you delicious food, and made sure that you felt loved and important. Sooner than both of you thought you felt back to 100% again. You wanted to go and visit Dogarressa, but your duties called. One of your application for a job that you had sent out a while ago came back with a confirmation for a job interview. This got you excited, and you happily showed Grillby the letter. He was more than proud of you and showed this by wrapping his arms around you and kissing your cheek. Not that these gestures were rare between the two of you, but you still giggled and blushed. You would never get used to his love, and you didn't want to. You didn't want to take his love for granted. It would always be something special.  
  


After the happy hug you got your phone and called the number of the company. Thanks to Grillby, who always had encouraged you, you felt brave enough to call right away, hoping to get a job interview as soon as possible. You knew that Grillby had enough income to care for the both of you, but you didn't want to just sit there and let him pay rent, food, clothes and everything else. You had talked about that with him, about your wish to contribute to the household. He had made sure that you knew that he didn't mind it at all, and that you weren't a burden. You knew that, he had shown you that you were anyting but a burden, but you still felt the urge to contribute. He then understood, and agreed, even if being a little reluctant while doing so.

 

You reached the company via phone and you made an appointment with them for a job interview. During the call Grillby eagerly sat next to you, trying to listen so he could understand what they said. Were they nice to you? He hoped they treated you with respect and friendliness.But from your pleased expression he could guess that they were alright.

 

Soon you knew the dates for the appointment and you said goodbye. You had a good feeling with the company, the lady on the phone sounded very nice and understanding. You hung up and smiled at Grillby.  
„I can go there in two days! They said they were looking forward to meet me.“ you told him and scooted a little closer to him. He took your hand and squeezed it a little.  
„They would be fools if they didn't want to meet you.“ he said with a warm smile. You were sure he wanted to say more, but the alarm of his phone interrupted him. It was time to open the bar again. Grillby quickly turned the alarm off and looked at you. „Do you want to help me again?“  
„Yes!“ you said rather quickly, which made Grillby chuckle silently. After you felt a little better you always helped him open the bar by putting the chairs down or cleaning the rest of the glasses. You loved helping him, not just because it was a somewhat fun activuty, but also because it was quicker and easier for him.

 

So he went to change into his bartender outfit while you got ready yourself. You went to the bathroom and brushed your hair one last time before stepping out again. Grillby always has been quick with changing his outfit, since he had done so for decades. Maybe even longer.  
While still fidgeting with the bowtie he grabbed the keys and moved to the door, you always following him. When you two were down in the bar he had fixed his bowtie until it was perfect. Both of you fell into a comfortable silence until it was time to open the bar. Before he went to the door he gave you one last kiss. It was rare that you two kisses in front of the customers, even if it made the monsters happy. It was something private, and you enjoyed it more when there weren't so many eyes locked on you.  
  


Soon after opening Doggo entered the bar. He usually was the first customer, but Grillby had told you that back in the underground, it usually has been Sans who came in as soon as the bar had opened. It must've been really boring in the underground.

  
As usual, Doggo was very happy to see you. It seems that Dogamy has told his friends about how you helped his wife, so all the dog monsters and other customers came up to you and thanked you. They tried to show you what a big help you were, but you really didn't think it was such a big deal. You were sure other people would've done the same. You knew a few good souls out there who might've done the some for the poor monster.  
  


But even then, you appreciated that they were thankful and didn't take your help for granted. When you first came back to the bar, all the dog monsters wrapped you in big furry hugs. Well, it was just Doggo and Lesser Dog, since Dogamy and Dogarressa still stayed at home. But it was still a very big big hug.

 

They were one of the first who got to hear the story of you helping Doga. It was weird for you to be praised like they did, and Doggo even said „Man, Grillbz got it lucky. If you weren't with him I would've thought of dating you.“ which made you blush. Since Grillby was able to hear that you were afraid that he would get jealous, but nothing like that happened. The fire monster only chuckled a little and patted Doggo's back.  
„Sorry old pal, but you're too late.“ he said silently. Doggo chuckled back at him.  
„Yep! Don't mind tho. You two are great together.“ he said. You and Grillby nodded at the same time at this to agree.

 

This has been going on for the past few days, and you were looking forward to another nice day. You greeted Doggo happily as he arrived and sat down next to him for a little chit chat. Grillby happily served him his favorite drink before listening while cleaning the rest of the glasses. Lesser Dog soon joined the bar, and he almost jumped at you in happiness. You gave him a few head pats and scratches behind his ear.

Sooner than you thought the bar filled with monsters, and even some humans came along. They were friendly tho, and got themselves involved in the chit chat. They admitted that they saw you and Grillby on TV, and they were interested in your story. You blushed a little, and after Grillby gave you a nod of approval, you repeated the whole thing for them. It was great to see how other humans agreed with your own opinions: that monster were oppressed and that a peaceful relationship between the two species was very posssible.

 

The other customers seemed to be pleased by the friendly human's visit, and they invited them for coffee and chats after they were done talking with you. Both you and Grillby were pleased how wonderful they all acted together. The bar was filled with laughter and good vibes.  
  
Days like these were your favorite.


	24. Intermission: The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the present, in another world. Yet so close to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...

...

...

You stop dead in your tracks. Before you a familiar building rose to the sky. it was neither big nor small, and didn't stand out. A normal plain old building, like you see everyday. Yet seeing it makes you feel all giddy and excited.

  
The bar of Grillby, simply named "Grillby's", was placed in this building. And unlike all the other days the sign on the door said _"Open"_.

It had been closed for so so long.

Hesitation. I this real? Or do your eyes betray you? You usually came by this building on your daily routine, and you always glanced at the door with a longing sigh. You haven't set a foot in there for so long, mainly because it was closed and empty. Sometimes you would spy through the windows and a sharp bang of pain ran through your heart when you saw the abandonment and the dust that came with it.

But today it's different. Customers are seated inside, not as many as there used to be, but you see familiar faces. And behind the bar stands a bright flame, causing light to cascade through the whole room, creating a warmth that you missed so much.

You take a deep breath. You would grab this chance and step inside. Everything would be like it used to be. ... Right?

So you open the door and time seems to slow a little. Some heads turn around, then everyone looks at you. Some are nudging each other with huge smiles on their faces, and your name is whispered through the whole bar. But your eyes are glued to the barkeeper.

He looks just like he did months ago. Flames flicker brightly and high, and they burst a little when he makes eye contact with you. Instantly you feel the warmth of magic blossom inside you, and you can't keep yourself from smiling as you stepped closer to the bar.

Grillby takes off his glasses, a weird and strange gesture since everyone else is present, too. But maybe he is just too enraptured in your presence to notice, just like you are with his. After a doubting moment his flames burst more, sparks fly upwards, and you see the admiration and joy in his white eyes.

"_____!" he shouts, and everyone in the bar jumps at his sudden volume. But the fire monster doesn't care. He quickly walks up to you and opens his arms to get you into a hug. You are quicker than him and literally jump into his arms, both of you giggling and laughing while forgetting the world around you.

The hug borders on desperate and painful, but it is perfect. His warmth and magic seeps through your clothes and skin, and both of you sigh in content and happiness and relief. It's been too long.

"... I've missed you. So much, my dear. So unbelievably much." he mumbles against the skin of your neck, too desperate to let go. You give him a small squeeze.

"I missed you too." you say quietly before you giggle as Grillby squeezes you back. He nuzzles your neck for a moment before pulling away a little. You can see soot gather at the corners of his eyes, and small particles of it already fly upwards. But his smile is as wide as the world, and his eyes seem to sparkle of joy. He put his hands on your shoulders and looks at you from head to toe.

"You haven't change a bit." he says quietly and looks back into your eyes. "You're still as handsome and beautiful as you have been months ago."

You chuckle quietly and feel a blush rise to your cheeks. After all this time he still manages to fluster you. "Neither have you." you finally say and step closer to him again, resting your hands on his shoulders as well. Every costumer in the bar holds their breath, not daring to destroy this moment in the slightest. But you two wouldn't notice anything besides the other right now.

Grillby can't hold the tears now, and the ashes fly to the ceiling as he blinks rapidly. You feel a few happy tears in your eyes as well. He quickly envelopes you in a hug again and rubs your back in a soothing way.

"It's okay now. We're back together." he whispers next to your ear, making you shiver slightly. You nod in agreement. Then you feel a small kiss pressed to your cheek before he pulls you close.

 

**"Are you ready for our story to continue?"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I know. I'm sure you and Grillby both had the same way with me in the past few weeks. I can still hear the yelling and angry fire crackles as he constantly strode behind me, grumbling about how he misses you and how I should continue the story so he can get back to cuddling you
> 
> Ah, I suppose you're too good and great for your own good. Grillby will stick to you for the next days like a leech. He won't let go, trust me.  
> You better get accustomed to having a freaking fire cling to you


	25. Close to shattering dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can dreams shatter as easily as glass?

This truly has been a wonderful day, you thought to yourself. And you wished for it to always be like this.  
  


But the day neared it's end, and so Grillby shooed the costumers out of his bar. You stayed, of course, with the giddy feeling of knowing that this was your home now, too. Unlike the others you didn't have to leave. All of them waved at you to say goodbye, and some even came up to you to hug you in a wonderful and friendly way. They all peacefully left the building and chatted while going home. After your partner has closed the front door - not without waving to the costumers one last time - he made his way to you, flames brightly flickering. You got up of your barstool and wanted to head behind the bar, so you could help to clean and polish the glasses. But a moment after you turned around you felt warm hands sneak around your waist.  
  


You squeaked in surprise and then giggled. Grillby had you enveloped in a hug from behind you and snuggled closely.  
"Days like these are wonderful." he mumbled while resting his chin on your shoulder. "But I do miss having you close while the others are around."  
You hummed thoughtfully and in content. "I don't think there's anything wrong with snuggling while the others are here." you closed your eyes and leaned against him. "But I often think that it would make you look less... professional?"  
A soft chuckled escaped his mouth, which was visible again thanks for the intimate atmosphere.  
"This is a bar, dear. Not a lawyers office. I'm sure no one bats an eye if the barkeeper is in a good mood. You know what they say: The happier the barkeep, the better the drinks."  
  


You chuckled along with him and enjoyed snuggling with him for a while. Then you turned around and gave him a quick peck on his cheek, admiring the heat that began to spread across his flames. You couldn't help it but chuckled at the slight blue color that you could see on his face. Even after being with you for a while now he was still easily flustered. But to be honest, so were you.  
  


Both of you started to clean up the place: Grillby put the chairs on the tables and began to shrub the floor until it was clean as a plate. You managed to tidy up the bar, cleaning the glasses and putting bottles at their right place. Occasionally the fire monster would point out where a bottle belongs, the heavy stuff on the top parts of the shelf, and the juices as well as the water on the bottom one. Easy enough.  
  


Soon you were done, and both of you made your ways to the living area. Before Grillby could even close the door behind him you heard a shattering sound. It hung in the air for a moment while the two of you were frozen in place. Then he stormed into the bar, followed by you.  
  


The front window was absent. Instead thousand tiny shards were scattered across the floor and the walkway outside. Without a warning or a word Grillby jumped to the door, unlocked it and ran out. All the time you followed him, not wanting him to do anything stupid. It was a good idea; you both spotted two human-shaped figures and how they ran around the corner down the street. Of course Grillby wanted to follow them, flames burning high and hot in an angry way. But before he could take one step you grabbed his arm.  
  


"Don't." you said, hopefully in a firm way, but you were sure that it sounded more like a plead. He stared to the corner of the street for a moment before letting out a sigh. Well, it was more a huge cloud of steam while his fire calmed down a little simultaneously. He puffed a few more steam clouds before shaking his head a little, his flames creating small "swoosh" noises. After a while he turned to you and nodded.  
  


A sigh of relief left your mouth. You didn't know what Grillby would've done if he had caught the people who did this. But it wouldn't have been nice, and it would've been a stupid act. News would jump right on this story and would show monster as the dangerous ones once again. They would potray Grillby as the one who initiated the fight and whatnot. You've seen this before, and it still happened all over the country. So you couldn't have let him go and get his revenge, even if he only went after them to shout at them.You were glad that Grillby understood, but he looked defeated. His flames dim now, as if the anger that had left has been the fuel for the fire. He looked to the ground, to the shattered glass. You quickly glanced down, and if the situation wouldn't have been so terrible you would've admired how his flames were reflected in the thousand tiny shards, shimmering in every color you knew. But you looked back at him again, noticing that he was looking at you already.  
  


You cupped his face with your hands.  
"... This is the third time that this happens." he said in a hushed voice, flames dim and weak. But he seemed to appreciate your effort in comforting him. He then kicks some of the shattered glass underneath his feet. And you understood his anger and sadness, it must be terrible to know that you're the target of racism everyday. To be attacked with no reason except for being your own individual, for just being who you are.  
You gave him a quick kiss, and he was thankful for not being alone in this situation. He surely would've done something outrageous, like hunting down the humans who did this. He hasn't been present for the first two attacks, and maybe this was better. Monsterkind couldn't allow any kind of mistakes, and hunting and punishing the ones responsible for this was a mistake.  
  


He just wanted the injustice to end. He just wanted peace. His dream was just to tend his little cozy bar, serving friends and nice strangers, and to have you by his side, so he could gather strength and inspiration from your presence. People who destroyed this dream made him furious and at some times hopeless.  
  


Another soft kiss was placed on his lips. He took a deep breath and noticed your sweet scent. He looked into your eyes and saw their sparkle and the admiration in them.  
Well, even if people like this existed out there. So did you. You were here, and you did your best to make his dream come true. He knew he has your support, and you made sure that he didn't do anything stupid. A little smile replaced the angry frown on his face as he realized that this was nothing but a weak attempt at ruining his dream. It was such small act of coward people compared to your huge love and support. With you by his side he knew that no one stood so cowardly and pathetic stood a chance.  
  


He returned a small kiss to your lips and pulled you closer to him. Instantly you wrapped your arms around his waist and hugged him closely. He needed to be close to you right now, and you too felt better with holding him.  
A moment passed before Grillby pulled away to get a broom and a trash bin. Relief flooded through you when you saw that his flames were a little brighter. You wanted to help him, but he denied, too afraid that you would get cut by the sharp glass. He was very careful himself while cleaning the floor and the walkway outside. You just stood there and wrapped your arms around yourself: it was cold outside and the chilly wind had free entrance into the bar now. Spring was near, yet not close enough to chase away the lingering coldness of winter. When your partner saw you shivering he made sure to hurry up. He also tried to convince you to upstairs, but you were too afraid that the hooligans would come back. You feared for Grillby's safety and well being, and you wanted that nothing escaladed more.  
  


It took a while, but eventually he managed to clean all the glass and put the trash can away. When he came back he had some tarp and duct tape with him.   
"Can you help me put this up, dear?" he asked, and you were quick to help him. You both taped the opening shut, so that the wind wouldn't blow right into the room. It didn't stop the cold from creeping in, but at least the worst is prevented.  
  
  
When you two were done it was very late at night. Grillby quickly went upstairs to prepare a sign that would announce that the bar was closed until the window was fixed, since he thinks it was a hazard to the customers to eat and drink in a room that was chilling. Not even his natural warmth would be enough to heat the room that had a huge hole in the wall. When the sign was up you both went ahead and upstairs. It seemed weird to leave the bar now. It was like the room was too vulnerable now, and even Grillby seem reluctant to close the door behind him.  
  


The last thing you did was informing the police. Grillby was relieved that he didn't have to talk to the strangers behind the phone for once. He knew that you didn't like to talk on the phone to strangers as well, so he really appreciated it. Despite your small anxiety you gave the police more information then he ever could've said. The officers took the information and would come to the bar tomorrow to investigate further. You wished them a goodnight before hanging up.   
You two stayed in the living room a little more, still too worked up to go to bed. Grillby clinged to you as if you were the only thing grounding him, and maybe it was. Although calmed down a little he still was angry and mad, and you did you best to soothe him. You wrapped your arms around his body while leaning against him, and he did the same and buried his face into your neck while taking deep breaths. Sometimes you felt a tiny peck against your skin, and you get the feeling that he did this to calm himself more than to calm you. Of course you didn't mind. Often you would give his forehead a small kiss in return while running your hands through his flames.  
  
Neither of you two had planned to fall asleep on the couch.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good that you're there. Who knows what Grillby could've done? Throw stones at the people who did it? Burn them? Put them in a pickle jar and shake them?!  
> My, what cruel thoughts.


	26. Intermission: Grillby has a Tumblr?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uuuh you better read down there what's up with that?!

Hello! This is just a quick update because holy moly, Grillby got an actual Tumblr now!

You can ask him anything there (Please read the Info before you do) and interact with him while you wait for the next chapter to be released. Sometimes there's some art made by me, the author and mun!

This doesn't mean that this story is on hiatus. I just need a little longer to write chapters, since I am working a lot lately. But Grillby can answer question via phone rather easily, so that's a good thing!

So while you wait you can talk to your fiery friend, no matter what about. It doesn't have to be roleplaying (but can be) and you simply can say "Hi" to him.

I hope you have fun!

I'll add this info to the next chapter, so don't worry about losing a chapter.

See you soon!

 

**[CLICK HERE FOR GRILLBY'S TUMBLR](https://yourpersonalgrillby.tumblr.com/) **

** **


	27. A day like you expected

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stuff happens! Hooray! Really, this chapter isn't very exciting. I promise the next one is! ... Or so I hope.

The ringing of the door bell made you two jump up from your slumber. Simultaneously you let out a groan of discomfort. Sleeping on the couch never was a good idea, at least when you have been laying in the same position you fell asleep in. Your neck was sore, and most of your limbs fell asleep, now creating a prickly sensation as the blood began to run back into them. But this wasn't even the worst. Getting up just meant that you had to stop snuggling your boyfriend. You clung to him a little longer before letting go reluctantly. Despite having slept in a very uncomfortable position you still enjoyed his closeness. He did enjoy yours, but another ring of the door caused him to hesitantly get up.  
Grillby ran a hand through his flames to smooth them a little. Huh, you've never noticed that he could get bed hair, too. One small last pat to his head made the flames burst a little, sparks flying to the air, before they flickered in their normal soothing way. He made his way to the door while you tried to rearrange your own hair, desperate to look at least a little presentable. You were glad that you managed to do so before Grillby had opened the door.  


Two police officers stood there and greeted Grillby. You were glad to see their friendly and neutral smiles: none of them seemed to mind that Grillby was a monster. Your partner invited them inside with an inviting gesture, and they entered the apartment, greeting you too.  
They asked the usual question and dates and took your personal details as well too make sure that nothing was missing. They were patient and understanding when it came to Grillby's reluctant speaking. You did most of the talking, so he didn't have to feel too uncomfortable. His adoring looks in your direction were his quiet thanks.  
Soon you led the police officers to the bar downstairs. It was weird seeing the damage in broad daylight. Sure, the glass has been cleared thanks to Grillby, but the tard that replaced the window was looking out of place. The familiar bar looked wounded and strange to you now, and you realized just how accustomed you had become to this room. How must Grillby feel? This was his bar, his life work, and most likely his most beloved place on earth.  


You explained to the police once again how the situation had going on. How you and Grillby had wanted to close for the night until you heard the noise. No, you couldn't identify the people, and neither could Grillby. Describing them was difficult as well, since it had been in the middle of the night, and you only had seen them run around a corner. Neither of you could tell the police any motives; no one you knew by name hated you or Grillby this much. So it was most likely an act of racism.  


The police noted everything and assured you two that this will be sorted out. You had no idea how they wanted to sort out a national problem, but you trusted that they did their job as good as they could. Before they could say goodbye your partner offered them a drink on the house. But the officers shook their head in a polite manner.  
  
"We sadly have other duties to attend to." one of them said and gave him a firm handshake, which Grillby was quick to return. The same went along with the other officers before they left. Once they were driving off Grillby let out a huge sigh of relief. You had noticed him being rather tense: The flames flickering in a weirdly polite manner, never too high or too bright, so it wouldn't be so harsh on the eyes. Right then he ran a hand through his flames which were flickering quickly. You were sure that he was overthinking about what the officers might think of him, so you quickly put a hand on his shoulder.

  
"This went really well, right?" you said, hoping that giving your positive opinion would calm him down a little. He nodded and wrapped an arm around your waist.  
"Yes. I just hope they documented everything correctly." he mumbled before burying his face into your hair. He often did this when he was nervous, and you always tried your best to calm him down. It seemed to work, like usual.  


You two went back upstairs, and Grillby picked up his phone and called a company that could replace the window. He sat down on one of the dining seats and wrote some notes along while phoning. It was something you couldn't do, since you didn't know what exactly was needed. But this seemed to be easier for him than calling the police: he still sounded hushed and suppressed, yet he talked with the other person as if he knew them, After a few minutes he hung up.  


"They'll see what they can do. If they have the right size in stock they'll come to replace the window tomorrow. Hopefully that is the case." he said to you, and you were so glad to see that he seemed happy about this. So you made sure to keep up the uprising mood.  
"That's great news!" you said and jumped to him, placing yourself on his lap in a playful manner. This action confused Grillby greatly, and he blinked a few times you before carefully and kind of nervously wrapping his arms around your form. "This means we have the whole day for ourselves!" you say and gave him a small kiss on his forehead. He hummed in approval, but he still seemed weirdly nervous. He shifted a little under your weight. Were you too heavy?

  
Yet, as you tried to move away his grip on you tightened, so you relaxed again. Your partner hummed a little more before relaxing too.  
"What do you want to do today then, my dear?" he asked quietly and returned the kiss from before to your forehead. You were glad that he was relaxed again, so you smiled fondly at him.  
"Hm..." you thought for a moment. You hadn't planned that much ahead, but the thought of spending a whole day with your favorite person made you giddy. You leaned your forehead against his while thinking. "We could... go out on a date! I still owe you one."  
Grillby chuckled softly at your goofiness and nuzzled you for a moment. "You don't owe me anything, dear. But I admit, a date sounds wonderful. As long as I can spend time with you it's going to be wonderful."  


You nodded in agreement and then jumped off his lap. Grillby playfully shot you a look that was suppose to look offended, since you just left him behind. You chuckled and planted a kiss between his eyes.  
"I'll go check the laundry before we do anything, okay? So when we come back I can put the stuff in the dryer." you said and made your way to the bathroom. There were the washing machine as well as the dryer. You thought it was a good idea to get started to help in this household. Grillby never was lazy, except he was cuddling with you while watching a movie or a series. So he managed the household by himself, like he always had before you moved in. But like he said himself when you moved in: this is your place now, too. So you better care for it as well.  


Arriving at the bathroom you picked the laundry basket and sorted things. You wanted to make sure that his white shirts stayed white, and didn't accidentally turn pink by being washed together with a red sock of yours. As you began working you heard quiet clatter and clanks coming from the kitchen. A smile appeared on your face without you noticing it and you paused for a moment. It seemed so unreal all of the sudden: here you were in a comfy and big apartment, but unlike you always imagined you weren't alone. You shared this nice place with a person who made you feel safe and loved. And now you two were living a domestic life.  


Soon you heard frizzling noises coming from the kitchen, and a feint delicious smell wavered through the apartment. You smiled a little more as you stuffed the clothes into the machine and put it on. Food sounded great right now, and like usual Grillby had known this.  
You made your way back to the living room and peeked into the kitchen. Your boyfriend stood at the stove and cooked a tasty looking meal for both of you. Since he used fire magic you decided to stay out of there, so he didn't have to worry. Like usual he was humming softly while cooking, and you wondered if he did that in the kitchen downstairs as well, when he was preparing the burgers and fries.  


You were excited that you still didn't know some things about him. This means there would be more to discover, more to learn. Then again... You probably would find everything about him exciting, even if you'd learn everything about him. After all, he was something entirely new to you. A monster, and one made out of fire. If this wasn't exciting by itself, then you didn't know what was.

Grillby's chuckle snapped you out of your thoughts.  
"You look cute when you're spacing out." he said with a cheerful voice as he took out plates and cutlery.  
"Well, I'm thinking about cute stuff." you helped him carry the meals to the living room and to the table. "I was thinking about how awesome it will be to get to know you better."  
Both of you were sitting down, but Grillby didn't start to eat right away.  
"… Not everything will be positive." he said, a sudden sense of dread in his voice.  


You simply shrugged at him and munched on your food.  
"Duh." you made before swallowing. "Of course not. But that's life: It's a constant struggle between good and bad."  
Your boyfriend blinked for a moment before smiling again. "Now you're wise, too? My, what a perfect creature you are. "  
A deep blush made it's way to your cheeks and you shyly continued to eat, smiling fondly at his compliment. It was high praise, but you thought the same about him. It sometimes struck you as unbelievable how highly he thought of you. You wanted to make sure that he knows that you also thought so about him.  


So after the meal you had to give him a good day, especially after the rather uncomfortable encounter with the police. Well, uncomfortable for him. The officers have been very nice and understanding, yet they were strangers. And Grillby even had dared to speak to them. You were really proud of your little flame ball.  
When you two were finished you quickly snatched his plate out of his hands and put it into the machine. He chuckled at your eagerness a little and even more so when you returned to the living room and to him. You pressed a quick kiss on his cheek.  


"Any idea what you wanna do today?" you asked, eager to hear his wishes. He seemed to think about it a little.  
"How about... we go visit the mall." he said and cocked his head at you. "I've been there before and had no troubles at all. It's kind of a safe heaven in the center of the town. Countless people go there each day, passing by or staying for hours. Most of them don't even notice the monsters there." he explained as he saw your doubtful frown.  
  
He was right about that. The mall was always well visited: huge crowds of people going in and out of the shops, or sitting in the café's and enjoying the buzz around them. You never really liked overpacked places, but this time you wouldn't be alone. Grillby would accompany you, and it always was a good time with him around.  
So you nodded at him and took his hand in yours. "Then let's go!" you said and put on your shoes and jacket. Grillby vanished for a moment, but only to get his purse and coat. After both of you were ready you took the car and headed out of the monster district.  
  
On the way there many people honked at you whenever they saw that a monster was driving the car. You were quite sour and bitter about that, and you were surprised that Grillby laughed whenever that happened.  
"… I don't find that funny." you say as another rude honk could be heard.it came from the car next to you as you waited at a red light. The driver was a young looking woman, and she shot both of you a scowl.  
"I do!" he said with a giggly voice. "All these people have their own lives. This woman in the car next to us? She might have a family and a loving husband. Who knows? Maybe she's on her way to her job. Yet she wastes minutes of her life thinking about me, a random monster on his own way. Who couldn't care less about her." he speeds away as the light turns green, yet always attentive so he wouldn't get anyone on the street in trouble.  
  
He... had a point. This lady would mostly think a lot about that fire monster who dared to drive on the same street as she did. It could keep her thinking the whole day, fueling her inner rage. Grillby on the other hand mostly already forgot what she looked like. To be honest, you already did. She might rant about that "ruthless fire monster driving that dirty car" while you two will be laughing and forgetting her.  


"I just find it funny." your boyfriend continued as you waited again. "I find it funny that I am so significant to these people. Maybe not in a positive way, but I most likely will be stuck in their minds for quite a while. They'll be grumbling about me and monsters for a moment or two. Maybe they'll tell their friends and family. 'Oh do you know what happened today? One of _those things_ dared to drive a car'!" he mocked a funny accent and waved one of his hands around. This made you laugh as well, earning an earnest chuckle from him. Sparks flew around in the car for a moment as he laughed with you.  


You two goofed around like that while you made your way to the mall. Finding a parking spot was quite hard, especially since Grillby – gentleman he was – always made space for others. He waited for the person in front of him to take this spot, and he drove past a nice parking lot so the one behind him could take it. He often earned confused looks, and he simply waved his hands to indicate that they could move first. You admired his polite manners, yet you wanted to get out of the car. So you pointed at a spot and said "That's ours!"  


Luckily no one was behind or in front of you two, so Grillby followed your lead and parked in one go. You squinted at him as he pulled the hand brake.  
"Show off." you said with a playful pout and got out of the car. Grillby chuckled at you as he got out as well. Instantly he was by your side and took your hand in his, intertwining his fingers with yours. You gave his hand a light squeeze as you two made your way to the big mall building.  


It was brimming with life inside there. People chatted, laughed and discutated, and with that they created a constant noise. It was kinda overwhelming for a moment, but Grillby tucked at your hand in a reassuring manner and gently dragged you along with him.  
"Let's go to the café." he said, and you were surprised to hear him talk while strangers were all around him.  
"Sure!" you said, but you two were already walking to the right direction. Occasionally you would stop at a shop, looking through the window to see what they were selling. Grillby literally had to drag you away from a games shop. They had the newest consoles and big budget games – things you could never afford, but you could dream. Especially since this one game would look sooo good on Grillby's TV!

 

But he was determined to get you to this café. So he wrapped an arm around your waist and dragged you from the shop. You whined playfully but followed him, whispering a desperate "I'll come back for you!". Grillby shoved you carefully and sent a chuckle towards you.  
"Silly _____." he said and pulled you closer to him again.  
"Yeah but I'm you silly _____." was your answer as you repeated his motions: first you shoved him away in a gentle way and then pulled him close again. His laugh and the bright flicker of his flames were your reward.  
  
Soon you two reached the café. It was rather small, but still inviting. There were several tables outside the shop, so you could sit down and see the people walking around in the mall. A small sign above the entrance said "Spider Sale". You were intrigued: this sounded like a really creative name! You wonder what the reason behind this was. Soon after you and Grillby sat down you got your answer: a rather intimidating looking monster approached you. She looked an awful lot like a humanized spider: her skin had a purple color, and on her face were five eyes, and it was adorned with a smile full of fangs. Around her were six arms, but as she saw you stare she quickly hid four of them behind her back, making her look a little more humanlike. You were weirdly touched that she didn't want to scare you, but she didn't at all. On the contrary: you were positively surprised to see another monster here.  


"Hello dearies!" you heard the monster's voice, and you assumed that it was a woman from the tone of the voice. "Oh my! Grillby honey! What a pleasure seeing you here." she said and put a hand on her chest in a motion of disbelieve and happiness. Grillby nodded at her and made his flames flicker higher, sending her a smile. His face was hidden again, since people were paying more attention to him now. But he still seemed comfortable.  


You on the other hand were feeling slightly out of place as the spiderlike monster chatted with Grillby. She seemed to understand and respect his mute responses and asked questions he could answer in his own way. You on the other hand were mostly ignored, besides a few glances here and there. And you didn't quite like it.  
The two of you were suppose to have a good day together, so why are you being left out right now? Then again, these two seem to know each other very good. And maybe they haven't seen each other for a long time? So of course you wouldn't interrupt them as they caught up.  
But when the monster put two of her hands on his shoulders and laughed at him you couldn't stop yourself from thinking something negative. Didn't she see that you were his company? That he was with you? Yet she occupied him for 10 minutes already, and she just scooted closer to him. You wondered if she did it on purpose, and now that you paid more attention she seemed to always seek eye contact with him. Was she flirting with him?  
  
At one point you gulped slightly and grabbed his hands. He turned around to you for a moment, smiled fondly and rather lovingly at you before turning back to the spider monster. You simply sighed inaudibly and held his hand in silence. Not once did the monster woman try to integrate you in their conversation, and since Grillby didn't like to talk around her he couldn't do it either. You simply accepted your fate, tried to tune out the rather lovely voice of the spider monster and watched the people walk by. Rarely you saw some monsters, but they were there, and no one seemed to harass them. Both you and Grillby sometimes got funny looks, but that's the worst that happened really.  


You pondered a little over the situation. You were jealous. You didn't have to question that: it was pretty clear to you. Then again, it was really hard to miss the adoring eyes she looked at Grillby with. All five of them. Really now, if you would've been in your boyfriend's position then you'd be rather uncomfortable under her stare. Just when you were glancing at her she laughed, and you had to admit that her laugh was really nice. And even Grillby let out a tiny chuckle.  


Maybe coming here has been a bad idea. No no, stop these thoughts. It has been a good idea. Your partner was having a good time, catching up with a friend he probably hasn't seen for a long time. So yes. It was good. As long as he was happy you were too.

…

Right?

 


	28. Jealous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Communication is key! Grillby uses this logic to try and solve the situation

The chatting of the two continued for quite a while. Or time seemed to slow down for you since you got bored. At one point the spider monster even pulled a chair rather closely to Grillby and sat down, giving no indication of leaving soon. Occassionally Grillby squeezed your hand, but otherwise he was too focused on his friend. The hand holding was the only attention he gave to you.

Now, you didn't want to get 100% of his attention each and every moment, but this was suppose to be a date for you two. Some quality time spent together, a day for both of you.  
  


The monster woman was telling him about how she had set up her little shop here, and how she had faced many troubles. Or... something like that. She switches topics really quickly: one moment she was talking about her place, the next one she talked about the Underground, and in a blink of an eye she spoke about her friends and asked Grillby questions about his bar. The rapid topic switching was another reason for you not to listen.  
  


You did something you usually never did when you were out with someone else: you pulled out your phone and wanted to check messages and websites. The mall wifi was free, so you connected your phone to it and visited a few social networks. On the newly introduced one, the Undernet, you had a few friend requests. You recognized Alphys, the former royal scientist who you've met before already. So of course you accepted her request and looked at her profile for a bit. She had cute pictures and quotes from some animes you've seen.  
You also sent a message to your former co-worker to see how they were doing. They answered rather quickly, happy to hear from you, and you both chatted back and forth a little. Many people at work have been rather sad to hear that you went away, and your friend admitted that many were gossiping about the boss. You could understand why.

  
The chatting kept you occupied for a little while, so you could pretend-forget that you weren't being ignored. Sometimes you tried to listen to whatever Grillby's friend had to say, but you quickly lost interest. Sadly your work friend had to go since their break was over, which left you without anyone to talk to. You put your phone on the table and looked over at Grillby. He was mostly shaking his head or nodding when she asked him questions about his bar. Did he have many human guests? Has he been harassed? Was Sans still visiting?  
  


Oh, now she knew Sans too? You wondered if she always seem so... attached to her friends, or if it was just with Grillby. If so, then there was something wrong with her. I mean, didn't she see that he was with you?  
Gently you lifted Grillby's hand to your face. He gazed to you, and you saw that he didn't see anything wrong in this situation. He seemed happy and content right now. Yet you continued and pressed a small kiss on the back of his hand. His flames burst a little bit as he squeezed your hand as a small thanks, and you already felt relieved that he had appreciated the gesture and that he would talk with you again, too. You didn't want that he ignored his friend – you just wanted to be involved. Who knows? Maybe you could even befriend her, too.  
  


But after that small moment of attention the monster spoke up again, and she asked him a direct question, so he had to turn to her again, quickly becoming involved in the conversation again. You sighed quietly and picked up your phone again. He seemed happy to be able to talk to her, so you wouldn't disturb him more. You decided to waste some time and get yourself occupied and distracted, so you started a little game on your phone. Since you needed both hands to play it you let go of Grillby's hand and focused on the silly game.  
  


So you didn't notice the look Grillby's gave you as you had taken your hand away from his. He was surprised at this, and his hand suddenly felt too hot without your cooling and soothing skin against his fire. When he looked your way he was surprised and confused to see you staring at your phone. This wasn't really usual for you, to be distracted by your phone when you were having a chat with someone. Especially since you weren't really doing anything important. But when he saw your face he could feel how his flames dimmed. Your face... it looked so unhappy. Your brows were furrowed to a frown, the pretty lips pressed to a thin line and your eyes glinting with something similiar to anger. It surely wasn't the game's fault, since he could see that you were winning the level. But not even that cheered you up, while you were usually cheering at this game.  
  


Next to him his old and good friend Muffet was still blabbering about her life. He had been curious about how she had managed to set up her shop on the surface. And at such a hot spot too! It has been relieving to hear that not only he did have troubles setting up a restaurant here: She, too, did have troubles with permits, rent and all of the little frustrating things. Talking with another monster who had a business was great itself, but catching up with a friend even better. It had been intriguing to compare his little struggles with hers.  
  
But now that he wasn't concentrating on Muffet's voice or words anymore he noticed how he had practically ignored you. He might've been too enraptured in her stories, and now he paid the price. You seemed to be angry at him. And now that he thought about it he could understand why. You had tried to gain his attention, perhaps to tell him that you had a problem right now. You had taken his hand in yours, and you even distracted him shortly by pressing a kiss on it, too. Yet he had continued to ignore you.  
  


Worst was that he could've prevented that. He could've introduced you to Muffet, and her to you, so both of you could've get involved in a conversation. How absurd this all must've been for you! Sitting next to your partner who keeps ignoring you simply because he met an old friend.  
Yet you never complained. You didn't grumble, or let your anger show freely. No, instead you buried your anger deep inside you and let him talk to his friend in peace. If he wouldn't have notice himself then he still would be listening intently to Muffet.  
  


A scary thought crept into his mind. Were you too afraid to tell him how you felt at this moment? You must've reason why you didn't speak up. Normally you told him if you were feeling slightly uncomfortable. Now you were quiet, but something was definitely wrong. He glanced to you again. You furiously tapped away on your phone, your eyes squinting a little and your jaw clenched in a stiff way. You were unhappy, and yes, mad. He felt his fire dim more.  
  


He didn't care that Muffet was right next to him, and that she could hear hs voice when he spoke up:  
"… Dear?"  
Your head turned a little, but you kept your gaze on your phone's screen. At least you were listening and more attentive towards him than he had been towards you in the past few minutes.  
But before he could ask if you were mad at him and how he could brighten your mood he was interrupted by Muffet.  
  


"Oh, Grillby! Honey, what a lovely voice you have." she cooed and scooted a little closer towards him. You gruntled a little at that, your frown deepening and creating deep wrinkles on your face. He could see that you wanted to get enraptured into the game again, but he wanted to prevent that, so he could talk to you. For now, he had to make Muffet go for a few minutes.  
"Muffet. Could you bring us the menu, please?" he asked in a polite tone, and it had the effect he wanted. Muffet got up and stood proudly.  
"Why yes of course, honey! I'll be with you in a few minutes." and with that she was off. Grillby instantly turned to you.  
  


"My dear, what is wrong?" he asked and couldn't help but to hush his voice. He was afraid that you could hear the fear and desperation in his words.  
You sighed – an awful annoyed sound that sent a small pang of pain through his soul. The phone disappeared into your pocket after you purposefully lost the level.  
"I... I don't feel well." you mumbled. He wanted to deny that; it clearly was a lie, and for a moment he was hurt that you lied to him about your feelings. But before he could think more about that you continued: "I don't feel well because I'm thinking things that are rude and bad towards your friend, and that's not okay. I shouldn't feel like this. It's ridiculous."  
  


Grillby let out a sigh of relief. So you didn't lie to him, and he couldn't help but admire you a little more. Even in a situation like this, where you're left out and feeling bad, you were thing of others first, and not yourself. If the situation wouldn't have been so awkward or bad he would've kissed you right now. But at this moment it wasn't the right time.  
  


"What thoughts do you have? I am sure you have valid reasons and nothing is wrong with them." he said and tried to sound reassuring. Perhaps you were simply a little scared since Muffet resembled a spider? He had heard that many humans suffered from an instinctive fear of spiders. Arachnophobia it was called, if he remembered correctly. And he knew you. You wouldn't say anything just to respect her, just to not make anyone feel bad about themselves. And you'd feel really bad for being afraid of a monster. So of course you've been quiet, and wouldn't tell him how you truly felt, since he, too, was a monster.  
  


But it turned out that this wasn't your problem at all. You struggled a little before you lowered your head in what appeared to be shame. You picked your nails for a moment and fumbled with them while you admitted: "I... I'm jealous."  
  


Grillby looked at you with a puzzled expression. Jealousy? That was what was bothering you. But of you were you afraid of? His friend Muffet? He tried to find valid reasons, but after thinking about it for a while he didn't find any. Of course, he had talked to her quite a while, but you never seemed to mind when he wa slistening to guests of his bar. Often people got him caught up in a small conversation, and if that happened you simply went to talk with your friends, or chatted with other patrons until he came back. So why made him talking to Muffet a difference?  
  


Not that he didn't believe you, or that he didn't find your feelings important. It was just a little hard for him to see your reasons right now. So he dared to ask you in a caring and worrying voice. He wanted to make this day good for you, too. He wanted that you enjoyed yourself, because if you didn't, then he couldn't enjoy the date either. You kept silent for a moment again before you spoke up.  
"W-well..." you started, and all your anger seemed to be gone. On one hand he was glad that you didn't appear to be mad at him, but simply at the situation. On the other hand he was sad that you were feeling negative at all. "It's not because you talk with others... it's just that this monster woman keeps flirting with you.". Your voice sounded very insecure, as if you're doubting yourself but at the same time you knew what you felt. You must've really thought that jealousy if one of the worst things to ever feel.  
  


"Flirting with me? … How so?" Grillby asked carefully. He wanted to make sure that he understood correctly, that he wasn't wrong in any way. He wanted to see your point so he could find a solution. Other would either ditch you or Muffet, but he didn't want to anger anyone. He was glad when you helped him to achieve that by explaining.  
  


"She just gets to close." you started. "And she always touches you somewhere. A hand on your shoulder, or patting your hand for a moment, or tapping your arm. And she just keeps staring at you all the time... Plus she didn't even notice me, as if nothing else but you exists." your voice became quieter and quieter with every word, as if you were embarrassed. "I.. I mean I can understand. You're captivating." you mumbled. Then you sighed and turned to him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't think that she does that on pupose. Maybe she's just happy to see you, like you happy to see her."  
  


He quickly took both of your hands in his when he saw that you fumbled with them again- a gesture that he hasn't seen you doing before.  
"Don't be sorry for having these thoughts." he said and squeezed your hands slightly. "It was quite terrible of me to not introduce you to her, and to not include you in our conversation. It's me who should be sorry, I shouldn't have been so ignorant towards you. And I assure you that Muffet can flirt and coo however she wants: she will never be as close to me as you're." At this you smiled a little, and he was happy that he took a little fear off of your shoulders. "If you want we can leave. I'll find an excuse for Muffet and-"  
"No no. It's okay." you said and gave him a brave smile. "She's your friend, and you two have to catch up. But I'm glad that you listened to me." you looked to the entrance of the small Café. Muffet was on her way back, but in her hand she only had one menu. Grillby squinted at that.  
  
"Here we are~!" she exclaimed as she reached your table and placed the menu in front of your boyfriend. You looked like you wanted to get distracted by your phone again since you fumbled it out of your pocket, but Grillby wanted to try and include you this time.  
"Only one menu? Well, that's not a problem. We'll share it, right, my dearest?" he said, his tone a little cold in the beginning, but when he asked you the last bit he took your hand again and squeezed it lovingly. You put your phone on the table and nodded towards him. So he scooted closer to you, intertwined your fingers with his and used his free hand to hold up the small booklet. Your mood brightened when he discussed different baked goods with you.  
  
"Ah, sweet spider cheesecake? A sweet treat for... well, a sweet treat." he said with a warm voice as he gave your cheek a small peck. You giggled at him, almost forgetting about the whole situation earlier. But Muffet was still there, waiting with what appeared to be polite patience. Grillby put down the card and faced Muffet. "We'll have two spider cheesecakes, a coffe and a latte macchiato, please."  
She perked up when he spoke with her again, cooing a little at his voice. "Of course, honey! Coming right up." she said and grabbed the menu. You thought she would dash off, but instead she knelt down and handed the booklet to three big spiders. They were as big as a goliath spider and would've freaked you out a little if they weren't wearing these cute little aprons. You even smiled a little as they scattered away, the pieces of clothes fluttering in their hurry.  
  


Muffet sat back down next to Grillby, and now after you've told him he noticed it too: she was rather close, closer than simple friends should be. Instinctively he scooted away a little, and closer to you. She didn't even care and started to talk to him again, without checking if he wanted to or not. Goodness, that really was... annoying. And just like you said, at least one of her hands were always touching him, and now he was hyper sensitive to that. He had to stop that somehow, without sounding too rude or as if he disliked her. A few gentle words should do the trick. He took a deep breath and felt his flames move more in a stiff way, so he seemed more polite.

  
"Muffet." he said sternly. He didn't care that he had interrupted her. "I'm sorry to say this, and by all means, I don't do say this to hurt you. But please, back off a little."  
She seemed taken aback by this and eyed him for a moment. With a quick glance towards you she scooted a little back.  
"Oopsie, sorry!" she said after a while but still seemed cheerful. He let out a tiny sigh of relief at that.  
"It's quite alright." he said and squeezed your hand for a moment. Just to ensure you that he was still thinking of you. He could feel you squeeze back.  
"I must've forgotten my good manners! It's just that you're so warm, honey. And we spiders cannot resist warmth!" she said with a chuckle and waved a hand at him. "I apologize if I got too close to you! I hope I didn't make you too uncomfy."

  
Ah, this made sense. Back in the Underground he often had carried lost spiders through Snowdin and back to Hotland. It didn't happen often, but enough to get him being recognized by the fellow spiders if he was visiting Hotland. He has been happy to be of help, of course, so he never minded to make the long way to Muffet's place.  
So it was plausible that she was simply drawn in by his warmth. Still. He was a living being with personal space, and he was glad that she respected it at least now.  
Just as he made a reassuring gesture the food arrived. A few more spiders than earlier carried the coffee's and sweet treats on serving plates. Muffet served the baked goods and hoped that both of you would enjoy your meal. Yes, she actually had included you as well. She earned two bright smiles for that, and she left and moved inside.  
  


Grillby let out a sigh filled with relief. That could've been a lot worse.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that Grillby has a Tumblr! He got some time on his hands. Sometimes there's art, too! If you got comments or questions for him you can go ask him there :) It'll be more developed in the future, too.


	29. An update VIA PHONE

Hi friends! I thought I'd give you all a small update while I am at work! ... please don't tell my boss. I am still working on Your Personal Sun, since I did figure out a nice plot. It's dramatic, I guess.

But before I reach the dramatic point I wanna provide something that people wished for when I asked them: some NSFW stuff. I am okay with that but need a little help. Your opinion. I was thinking I provide a chapter for male readers as well a chapter for female readers. But I am unsure if this would be enough? Or should I write a gender neutral chapter at the risk of completely failing? 

Tell me your thoughts! In the meantime I will work on the non smutty chapters. You can also kill time by asking Grillby some questions over st his tumblr! I noticed then I don't get notifications if an ask arrives, but I'll check daily now. 

Cheers!

~Arial


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